Striking the Right Balance with RFID
Current resistance by privacy groups, legislators, and frightened consumers to the widespread adoption of RFID appears to have less to do with a fear of the specific technologies that comprise the concept than it does with historical resistance to every new development concerning the aggregation and linking of personal data. As time goes on, history has shown that resistance gradually gives way to wariness and then to acceptance and ultimately the feeling that these technologies had always existed.
Initial Resistance to e-Commerce
Consider the Internet. Early efforts at building e-commerce businesses were stymied by many users' fears that credit and debit card transactions were insecure and likely to be intercepted by hackers. This was despite the fact that even early web browsers had built-in encryption systems. After a number of early-failed experiments in creating alternative forms of web currency,
the rise of popular sites like Amazon and PayPal gradually habituated users to using their credit and debit cards online. Consumers became comfortable with the decreasing risks.
Before the rise of the Internet and e-commerce technologies, protests were made against the spread of bar codes and even store club cards. The fact that interest groups failed to stop the adoption and acceptance of these technologies suggests that an opposing minority will always exist, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle.
Concerns with RFID
For RFID proponents, it is certainly tempting to dismiss all critics as uninformed Luddites, but that simply is not the case. The presence of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a group, founded by tech-savvy, pioneering 'cyber libertarians,' suggests a deeper anxiety that is specific to
RFID technology:
The migration of IT from the nebulous virtual world of the internet into chips implanted directly into items of clothing and even our pets
The automation of IT and increasing linkage of networks and databases
No matter what the long-term benefits and value are to consumers, the adoption of RFID technology, particularly in our homes and ourselves, will prove no doubt to be an unsettling experience initially. The challenge for businesses hoping to pioneer real world awareness technologies is to reassure and educate consumers and to concede humbly that their fears of privacy invasion and future, unintended consequences of RFID proliferation are not entirely unfounded.
Education is Key
That being said, and the news is encouraging. According to a recent survey by a marketing intelligence company, 62.2 percent of more than 7000 people polled knew what RFID is and could explain how the technology works. The majority of those who were aware of RFID thought it was a good thing. Follow-up discussions with some poll members in a focus group setting revealed that those who were aware of RFID had a balanced view of its benefits versus potential privacy issues.
If moving into a landscape driven by RFID could be compared to sliding into a hot bath, consumers are no longer at the moment where they wince at just how hot the water seems. The sooner consumers are educated about RFID's benefits and potential value, the better it is for everyone.
