Microchipping One’s Customers

I meant to comment on this when I first saw it a week ago, but I’ve been busy with other things and it slipped my mind. Browsing James Hammerton’s blog just reminded me. During the summer there was a piece about the Barcelona beach club using Verichips to identify customers. The idea being – and it sounds just so reasonable – is that it makes entry to the club and buying drinks that much more convenient; no more bulges in one’s swim suit caused by that all too inconvenient wallet or purse, because all that is needed is a small chip embedded in one’s arm. So chic, darling. This years must have.

Makes me want to scream. 60 years after the liberation of Auschwitz where the Nazis tattooed their victims, people are queueing up to have the modern equivalent. I’m not being too dramatic here, am I? I mean, I know we use this technology on our pets – but people?

James Hammerton asks an important question:

"What’s to stop someone using this chip to track your whereabouts at other times for more sinister purposes?"

The answer, of course, is absolutely nothing.