Toolkit

Story: IBM slams RFID criticism as 'anti-retail'

• 
• 

That Shearer resorts to ad hominae attacks against Albrecht and apparently anyone who raises privacy concerns about RFID at all, is simply an indication of either operating in utter panic mode without a strategic plan, or someone who simply lacks rational self-control.

The "anti-retail" epithet doesn't even make sense. As most everyone has a need to buy essentials like food we are all "pro-retail" by necessity, which makes this simply a bizarre rant. Other than IBM self-interest in profit, nothing cogent was offered by Shearer in regard to the very real stakeholder concerns regarding RFID. Apparently IBM's corporate policies regarding "stackholder analysis" haven't reached her neck of the woods. If one had been performed this article would not have been published.

The issues of privacy with RFID are quite real and must be addressed. RFID must have structural protections for privacy through its architecture and the law. These are not unduly burdensome nor technical difficult to acheive. We must have RFID but not at the cost of compromising customer privacy in the quest for corporate profits.

J S Gruszynski
BSEE, MBA

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

Full Talkback thread