Insecure Implants

 

JAYLEEN LAM HAYLIE ROSALES Staff Writers

To most, microchip implants appear to come from a plot of science fiction. In actuality, the technology to safely embed these grain-sized devices has existed since the early 2000’s, when they were inserted into pets for GPS tracking. There are many potential risks, however, that could counteract the benefits the chip will bring. The people’s safety is too important to sacrifice for a desire to improve efficiency in menial tasks.

Radio Frequency chips, microchips that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, send data from the chip and its specific reader through radio antennae waves. Anyone with the same reader can intercept those waves as well – exposing a person’s personal information. The new innovation also poses possible health risks. There are anecdotes of pet owners who reported their animals dying or diagnosed with cancer because of improper placement of the chips. Companies may plan to put microchips into the employees’ arms, for example, to make simple tasks like opening doors and signing in to computers easier, but this can be counterproductive. Tracking employees violates their privacy, especially when a supervisor is able to keep track of their employees whereabouts and excursions.