Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 11:32 AM
From: Ron Padzensky ([email protected])
Subject: What Your Clothes Say About You
Wired's alarmist reaction to techno innovations is getting a little tired ("What Your Clothes Say About You," March 12, 2003).
It seems that every day Wired News is posting an article about how a new technology will be subverted by Dr. Evil to invade our privacy. The article clearly states that a chip reader has to be within five feet of the chip to read it. Yet somehow you've got the government using the technology to track down deadbeat dads as though it were some kind of LoJack system (used for tracking stolen cars) for Benetton customers.
I'm no expert on the technology, but I don't think these sand grain-size chips are bouncing signals off of satellites. This appears to be an awesome inventory-tracking device first and foremost and secondarily an antitheft device. I highly doubt that it could even be effectively used as a means to return an item without a receipt. This would likely cause a rash of clothing thefts from dorm rooms and locker rooms around the world by petty thieves looking to make some quick cash by hauling their booty down to Benetton for a quick cash refund.
My point is that all too often Wired is putting this Orwellian spin on reviews of new technology, and quite frankly it's making you guys look like a bunch of paranoids. I'm a long-time subscriber and don't intend to vacate my subscription over this, but enough is enough.
