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Privacy Technology

RFID Implants for Spanish Revelers 382

WWW/X writes "USA Today reports that clubbers in Barcelona are getting drunk and being implanted on site with RFID chips in order to pay their bills without carrying around bulky items such as credit cards. The article states that the implant can go anywhere, however it does not state whether anyone has chosen their forehead." The club's website describes the program (link in spanish).
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RFID Implants for Spanish Revelers

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  • Barcelona (Score:3, Interesting)

    by F34nor ( 321515 ) * on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:08PM (#9129574)
    Loved it, loved the music, loved the food, still wouldn't get RFID to pay for drinks.
  • Glass? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by marshac ( 580242 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:09PM (#9129599) Homepage
    USA today says that it's made out of glass... couldn't this possibly break? Ouch. Then again, USA Today is known for their high quality journalism...
  • by ericspinder ( 146776 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:11PM (#9129628) Journal
    I can see it now...
    Lean against the bar and accidently buy everybody a round!

    Or better, yet muggers using a knife and cutting out the implant. I'd feel better if the scanner would only work an inch or two from the chip, rather than several feet. Otherwise, in a crowded bar how would you know who is paying?

  • what if they leave? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Kjuib ( 584451 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:12PM (#9129645) Homepage Journal
    does the chip stay or does your body slowly reject it and shoot it across the room? Maybe they could make disposible ones, that they can swallow and pass it a day or two later... that would be gross, but no implants...
  • by Karamchand ( 607798 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:13PM (#9129657)
    ..but counterfeiting/identity theft issues as well. If the RFID is readable that easily, I can just read of the wealthist customer's RFID and make one with his ID for myself. Voila, I'll have a drunken night at the club!
  • Reminds me.. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by fiannaFailMan ( 702447 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:13PM (#9129664) Journal
    of when I was in Mallorca getting polaxed every night. The fact that I had to use cash meant that I could pace myself and not blow all my money, as you would do very quickly when you're so drunk that you could lose track of how much (or little) money you can spare. If I was able to just wave my hand and get a drink I'd be bankrupt in no time. I think that's a more pressing concern than any privacy issues.
  • An excellent idea (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:17PM (#9129727)
    I know I'll be modded down, but this will enhance privacy.

    No more does someone have to worry about getting their wallet stolen because they were too drunk to notice. This means fewer credit card thefts, the leading cause of identity theft & privacy violations.
  • by axis-techno-geek ( 70545 ) <.rob. .at. .goshko.ca.> on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:18PM (#9129742) Homepage
    Too me this just sounds like a bad idea.

    If you pass out, your RFID chip still works, guess who's buying!

    At least with cash, when your out, your done. Credit cards have a signature and some liability, what do the RFID tags have? (sorry no habla)

  • by cybergrue ( 696844 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:20PM (#9129770)
    What a wierd way of starting an article. I would have thought that 1984 would have been invoked in an article like this, but no, the author means 1974, and talks about Watergate et all. He even goes on to make a pun about Braingate, a brain computer communication tech.

    Actually, I think the whole article is just wierd. At least three topics have been rammed together into this article. Does anyone have any proof that this is actually happening, or is this just some marketing hype that a reporter fell for?

  • by pa3gvr ( 548273 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:25PM (#9129841) Homepage
    Have a look at the professional enviroment where they do the implant:
    Baja implant photo. [baja-beachclub.com]
  • by Animats ( 122034 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:36PM (#9129996) Homepage
    Once this ties in with slots...
  • by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:40PM (#9130049)
    I worry about a world in which people are so easily seduced into giving up such things as privacy, liberty, health and freedom all for the sake of a little short-term convenience. Have we really devolved into little more than lazy unthinking robotic blobs of flesh?
  • Re:An excellent idea (Score:3, Interesting)

    by mpost4 ( 115369 ) * on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @02:49PM (#9130187) Homepage Journal
    not true, I had my credit card number stolen. One I never use on the net. but the thing is I still had the card. ya right they don't need to get the card to use it.

    My guess is that some place I went to and payed with it, eather trashed their copy of it with the number on it (in pittsburgh many places still print out the full card number and exp date, I keep my copy in a box at home, but who know what they hell they do with theirs) or one of the servers copied the number down.
  • My cats (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Fuzzums ( 250400 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @03:32PM (#9130806) Homepage
    My cats have RFID implants with a serial#.
    If they get lost their necklace tells the finder to call a number / go to a vet to get the number read.
    The number corresponds with my address information in a database and I get a call.

    My point is this: it's no 'new' technology and the chip does not migrate in the cat's body (it's implanted near the left shoulder).
    Of course the implantation should be done by skilled people. My guess is that it ins't the bartender who implants the chip ;)
  • Re:Reminds me.. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by superflippy ( 442879 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @04:35PM (#9131845) Homepage Journal
    when you're so drunk that you could lose track of how much (or little) money you can spare

    This is a pretty legitimate concern. There was a scandal at the Gold Club, the biggest "gentlemen's club" in Atlanta, a few years ago. They were charging extra stuff to the tabs of men who were really sloshed, figuring they wouldn't remember the next morning how many lap dances they'd had. I believe they targeted business travelers and pro athletes, people likely to have the money but not scrutinize their bills, and were able to get away with it for quite some time.
  • by Murgalon ( 779238 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @04:59PM (#9132204)
    So what if you get so drunk you pass out. Your buddies can just drag your carcass to the bar and get free drinks the rest of the night. There really should be an "off" switch. Perhaps the ability to set a max amount per day.
  • by jrumney ( 197329 ) on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @05:33PM (#9132586)
    does one have to be to decide: it's too difficult to carry money or plastic or identification. I'll just have a "nurse" implant a device under my skin.

    Barcelona does have one of the worst rates of pickpocketing in Europe. So I can see why people don't want to be carrying their wallets around when they're drunk.

  • by Dahan ( 130247 ) <khym@azeotrope.org> on Wednesday May 12, 2004 @08:25PM (#9134411)
    Sure, they're using VeriChip. Even the USA Today article says that. Why do you assume that the VeriChip has a processor capable of doing any encryption?

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