
Thousands of Swedes Are Inserting Microchips Under Their Skin - ZeljkoS
https://www.npr.org/2018/10/22/658808705/thousands-of-swedes-are-inserting-microchips-under-their-skin?t=1541418621868
======
jaclaz
They look like the ones that are commonly in use (mandated by Law) for dogs
and (I believe optional) for cats here in Italy since years.

Besides the moral and psychological implications of being "marked" for life
(not entirely unlike the numbers tatooed on forearms of concentration camp
prisoners) and the (obvious) privacy and security concerns, I am failing to
see the actual advantages (no risk of losing your card or keys)?

So, let's say, instead of having to give your money and keys to someone
holding a knife to your throat, you will be given a small sample of on the
field micro surgery.

In any case having them inserted just over the (left) thumb doesn't seem to me
such a good idea.

~~~
nimblegorilla
What are the moral implications of doing this voluntarily?

This seems "easily" reversible by just having the chip removed.

~~~
gambler
It's voluntary today, when it's a rarity. If they become wide-spread companies
and governments will inevitably start tying services to chips, which will
drive adoption even more, and eventually you will not be able to get those
services in any other way.

This story unfolds over, and over, and over again, and it seems people never
learn. SSNs went through this exact process. Credit cards became a required
piece of information for transactions not involving credit. There are places
in the wold now where simply not carrying an ID is effectively illegal. You
are not allowed to not have an email anymore.

You either can wait for this to happen and then hope certain misuse get
eventually outlawed, or simply push back from the very beginning so that
adoption does not reach a critical mass.

And no, I am not going to respond to inevitable apologists who will reply to
this post. Not because I have no arguments, but because I have no time to
argue with yet another person smugly telling me that I'm "free" to avoid
civilization if I don't like creepy, covertly totalitarian stuff.

~~~
combatentropy
> If they become wide-spread companies and governments will inevitably start
> tying services to chips

Yes, Christians have long thought a chip will fulfill this prophecy: "Also it
causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave to
be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell
unless he has the mark," \--- _The Revelation_

------
roel_v
I got an rfid implant 10-ish years ago. It's useless really, after the first
giggle of signing in to Windows with your hand (I hacked up a gina module at
the time to do this). Because of the many compatibility issues, it's hard to
hook this up to mainstream building access systems,and the implantable chips
are very basic and insecure (it's trivial to read and spoof them, moreso
nowadays with software rf equipment).

Apart from that, they're not dangerous. You can get mri's with them, hold your
hand on an induction stove at full power, and fight with it (bjj and muay
thai).

I had mine taken out because I didn't use it and I wasn't sure about the long
term risks (migration under the skin, mostly). I had to find a fairly hardcore
body mod studio to have it put in/taken out, the regular ones and doctors
wouldn't do it. Mine was put in with a dermal punch and two tiny incisions,
which from what I could compare with pictures online made for clean healing.

------
jacob019
A new TSA global entry program lets you pass the line with subcutaneous RFID
tags. Then you're kidnapped while on vacation and the tag is removed.

~~~
willvarfar
When I've entered various countries recently I've been able to go through an
automated gate where you scan your passport and then you have to look at a
camera and or scan your finger prints etc.

Surely the RFID under the skin is just a convenient way to carry your passport
rather than getting you around the biometric scanners?

------
cvaidya1986
This could have been an onion article a few years ago.

------
bntyhntr
I'm an American with a chipped hand. It's pretty much useless but I enjoy it
all the same. Just a little too ahead of the tech it would interact with. All
I want is a reasonable nfc lock that doesn't have shit reviews on Amazon so I
can lock my stuff at the gym, but I'll settle for rickrolls I guess.

Cost me $100 for the kit + $40 (after tip) for implantation by a trusted
professional in the bodymod business.

It's an ntag 216 if you're curious about the specs.

------
zeveb
I don't know if I'm terribly keen on an authentication system which can be cut
out of my dead body and used. Maybe these should have a way to detect removal?

~~~
hour_glass
maybe put two devices inside the body, and if they change orientation or
distance too greatly they will no longer function.

------
yesenadam
Freaky! Also, this was surprising: "Only 1 in 4 people living in Sweden uses
cash at least once a week."

~~~
sourceless
If Sweden is anything like the UK, you really don't need cash at all for day-
to-day life. Most shops, coffee places, market stalls etc accept cards now
(even very small ones), as does much public transport (in cities).

In addition there are contactless payments nearly everywhere -- it's becoming
an oddity to have to insert your card for any payment under £30.

I definitely haven't used cash in the last two weeks, and I think maybe only a
handful of times in the last few months.

~~~
JoeAltmaier
Apparently digital currency is all causing a problem in tipping and donation.
Can't put a dollar in the old man's hat if you don't carry a dollar any more.
And tipping at bars etc can be harder too.

~~~
haste410
How is tipping at a bar harder? You just write on the bill what amount to want
to tip when you close your tab.

~~~
df5336
Bar tabs (in addition to tipping culture) are less common outside of NA. It is
however quite common to leave the change from say a £5 note for a £4 beer.
This is purely down to the convince (no need to wait for your change) and
frictionless nature (the bartender already had your tip) of the transaction.

------
michaelt
Does anyone know what chip they implant to get contactless payment, subway
access, LinkedIn details, concert tickets and access control in a single chip?

I assume there are strict crypto requirements for several of those, beyond
those of the chips vets use for pets?...

------
gvhst
If you ever need an MRI, especially an emergency MRI, there could be some
complications here...

~~~
DerekRobot
Mythbusters tried it once. It distorted the image in that area, but didn't
have enough ferrous material to be ripped out. It's a glass capsule with a
very small ferrite rod wrapped in copper.

------
nakedrobot2
why is the capacity so miniscule?

when I can fit the entirety of a text-only version of wikipedia on one of
these, then I'll get one.

why do I need this? I just do. Just because. :-)

------
niceperson
Just something for people too trendy for a phone

------
yters
Next step: GATTACA.

