![]() The devices, originally developed to track livestock, have been implanted in more than 6 million cats and dogs to trace lost or stolen pets. "It may sound paranoid, but this is bound to be abused." "It may seem innocuous, but the government and private corporations could use these devices to track people's movements," said Liz McIntyre, who co-wrote a book warning about the dangers of such radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. They also fear that the technology marks a dangerous step toward an Orwellian future in which people will be monitored using the chips or will be required to have them inserted for surveillance. ![]() They worry the devices could make it easier for unauthorized snoops to invade medical records. ![]() But the concept alarms privacy advocates. Some doctors are welcoming the technology as an exciting innovation that will speed care and prevent errors. Within weeks, the first hospital is expected to announce plans to start routinely scanning all emergency-room patients. But the chip is being aggressively marketed by its manufacturer, which is targeting Washington to be the first metropolitan area with multiple hospitals equipped to read the device, a persuasive factor for Fischer and Hickey. residents are among just a handful of Americans who have had the tiny electronic VeriChip inserted since the government approved it two years ago. This gives me tremendous peace of mind," Fischer said. "I may not be available if she ends up in the emergency room. Roxanne Fischer felt the same way, and she had one of the devices injected into the arm of her 83-year-old mother, who has Alzheimer's disease. ![]()
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