According to the World Economic Forum, Sweden has been trying to advance the technology of implanting an identifiable microchip into its citizens’ arms since 2015. (Ma Thousands of Swedish people are swapping ID cards for microchips) This microchip utilizes a technology called Radio-frequency identification, or RFID for short. However, its adaptation in the United States has been particularly unpopular due to various privacy and safety concerns despite gaining the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA’s stamp of approval for medical use back in 2004. (Stein Implantable Medical ID Approved By FDA). Though FDA did issue a warning of potential misuse and risks of exploitation for malicious acts.

The most significant risk of this microchip is the RFID technology that empowers it. RFID is a pretty ubiquitous technology that has extended and contributed to a lot of our modern-day convince. The first of many advancements in this technology is our mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. It enabled us to use our phones to make store purchases without carrying our physical credit or debit cards. Even some modern-day credit or debit cards have RFID technology embedded into it, usually branded through its Tap-to-Pay feature. However, where there is convenience, there are risks. If we are not careful enough and tapped our phone or the RFID enabled bank cards to a malicious RFID information reading device, such as a disguised or compromised Point of Sale machine. Malicious actors will then have the ability to access our financial data, and they could potentially use this information for various nefarious acts. Therefore, if we were to have health records or other personally identifiable information embedded into these implanted microchips, you could bet that someone will use them for atrocious acts.

Another reason why it’s not a good idea to adopt this type of technology is the possibility of government surveillance. Granted, the United States government is by far one of the most transparent governments on the planet. And as a result, its citizens do have the freedom to criticize the government without fearing oppression. However, it is still generally a good idea to keep a certain degree of skepticism and vigilance if something does happen. An excellent example of a surveillance state is China. It is sometimes illegal for its citizens to do something or go somewhere without registering their ID with the authorities. Even though the Chinese government has not implemented this microchip technology in their society, you can bet that they will if they have the capability. Therefore, the United States should be very wary of implementing such technology in our society because it could set a dangerous precedent for the rest of the world.

Works Cited

Ma, Alexandra. “Thousands of Swedish People Are Swapping ID Cards for Microchips.” World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum, 16 May 2018, http://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/05/thousands-of-people-in-sweden-are-embedding-microchips-under-their-skin-to-replace-id-cards.

Stein, Rob. “Implantable Medical ID Approved By FDA.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 14 Oct. 2004, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29954-2004Oct13.html.