Shidler Center for Law, Commerce + Technology
About the Shidler Center | Contact Us

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a generic term that is used to describe a system that transmits the identity (in the form of a unique serial number) of an object or person wirelessly, using radio waves. RFID is one of many Auto-ID technologies, a group that includes bar codes, optical character readers and some biometric technologies, such as retinal scans. The auto-ID technologies have been used to reduce the amount of time and labor needed to input data manually and to improve data accuracy. The RFID chip can store as much as 2 kilobytes of data. For example, information about a product or shipment—date of manufacture, destination and sell-by date—can be written to a tag. RFID is designed to enable readers to capture data on tags and transmit it to a computer system—without needing a person to be involved. To retrieve the data stored on an RFID tag, you need a reader. A typical reader is a device that has one or more antennas that emit radio waves and receive signals back from the tag. The reader then passes the information in digital form to a computer system.  — RFID Journal

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID):
Addressing Concerns Over Information Collection and Usage

Brought to you by the Shidler Center for Law, Commerce + Technology, the Technology Law and Public Policy Clinic and the ACLU of Washington, Technology and Liberty Project

Public agencies in Washington are increasingly using RFID technology. Many privacy advocates, technology experts and others are concerned that in the absence of legislation, the increasing use of RFID will erode civil liberties and lead to misuses of collected data. Is there a way to safeguard privacy while reaping the benefits of RFID technology in different contexts?

On July 19, 2007, at the University of Washington School of Law, a roundtable discussion was held on the roles of regulation and technical design in mitigating privacy and socio-cultural concerns over the use of RFID technology. Building on national work in this area and discussions over Washington HB1031 in this year's state legislative session, the event participants investigated the need for policy initiatives in Washington State concerning RFID.

Video, by Program Segment:

  1. Social Impacts & Civil Liberty Concerns, 46:49
    Evan Welbourne, UW Society and Technology Group, See Social Impacts and Civil Liberties Concerns
    Julie Mayer, Federal Trade Commission
    Christina Drummond, Technology and Liberty Project, ACLU of Wa
     
  2. Role of Technical Design in Addressing Concerns, 45:18
    Gaetano Borriello, UW Computer Science & Engineering Department
    Rene Martinez, Intermec Technologies
    Dan Kaminsky, I/O Active, See Soylent Badges: An Attack Surface Analysis of RFID
     
  3. Washington State Case Studies & Lessons Learned, 39:44
    Library Applications & Systems
    Charles Coldwell, Seattle Public Library, See Seattle Public Library's Implementation of RFID
    Washington State’s Enhanced Drivers License
    Antonio Ginatta, Washington State Office of the Governor
     
  4. Legal Environment & Regulatory Efforts, 42:06
    Michael Overlake, UW School of Law
    Steven Shafer, Microsoft Research
    Nicky Ozer, ACLU of Northern California, See Don't Chip Our Rights Away and Rights "Chipped" Away: RFID & Identification Documents
      
  5. Washington State Legislative Perspectives, 25:54
    Rep. Jeff Morris
    Rep. Zack Hudgins
    Rep. Deb Eddy, See RFID: Washington State Legislative Perspective
     
  6. General Discussion, Public Questions & Answers, 43:50

Audio

  • Part 1, 2:11:52
    Includes Segments 1-3 as listed above.
  • Part 2, 1:52:13
    Includes Segments 4-6 as listed above.

Related News:

 

If you have any questions, please contact lct@u.washington.edu.
 


Last Updated 12/04/07