Is it 1984 yet?

Senate blocks mandatory ID implants in employees

Tackling a dilemma right out of a science fiction novel, the state Senate passed legislation Thursday that would bar employers from requiring workers to have identification devices implanted under their skin.

State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) proposed the measure after at least one company began marketing radio frequency identification devices for use in humans.

The devices, as small as a grain of rice, can be used by employers to identify workers. A scanner passing over a body part implanted with one can instantly identify the person.

"RFID is a minor miracle, with all sorts of good uses," Simitian said. "But we shouldn't condone forced 'tagging' of humans. It's the ultimate invasion of privacy."

Simitian said he fears that the devices could be compromised by persons with unauthorized scanners, facilitating identity theft and improper tracking and surveillance.

The bill has been approved by the state Assembly and now goes to the governor.

Nine senators opposed the measure, including Bob Margett (R-Arcadia), who said it is premature to legislate technology that has not yet proved to be a problem. "It sounded like it was a solution looking for a problem," Margett said. "It didn't seem like it was necessary."

One company, VeriChip, has been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration to sell implanted identification devices, and about 2,000 people have had them implanted, Simitian said. A representative of the firm did not return calls seeking comment Thursday.

Source: LA Times (Complete Article)

Wow! I had to re-read this article twice and check the domain name just to make sure that this wasn't a farce of some sort.

I do not know what's worse, the fact there is a company out there that mandates its employees to be outfitted with these RFID tags or that the Senate had to block such legislation.

What in the world were the 2000 employees of VeriChip thinking when they acquiesced to this Orwellian tagging system. This is grossly irresponsible of the VeriChip employees. By allowing themselves to be tagged like cattle, they set a very dangerous precedent for other corporations to follow suit, that is to say nothing of the fact that something like this is obviously invasive regardless of how small it is.