While this has been reported in several places, and picked up by SlashDot, I have not been able to confirm it directly. That said, let me take a moment to address the issue, which is one that will eventually, if not currently, be faced by nearly everyone. Let us hope, though, that it is indeed a hoax...although a sick one, at that.

If your company comes to you asking (read, demanding) that you receive an RFID implant, walk out that very minute and find a lawyer. I can see NO situation, now or in the future, when such a demand could or should ever be placed on an employee. There are limits which should never be overstepped and surgical implantation of any security device, no matter how small, is just such a hard limit. The same might be said for any biometric-based security devices. To some, even this use violates the basic, inherent privacy of our own bodies. Let companies find some other way to (supposedly) protect their security. This is one burden that should not be borne by employees.

Some on SlashDot have posted their thoughts that, perhaps, this is a publicity ploy by the company, where they are trying to prove that "our security is better than theirs.", but the fact that something like this can even be described is a frightening as any dark future that has been represented in science fiction writing.

I hope this story is a hoax, but all too frequently these days, scenarios we once thought possible are becoming reality every day.

RFID Injection Required for Datacenter Access user24 writes "Security focus reports that RFID injections are now required for access to the datacenter of a Cinncinati company. From the article 'In the past, employees accessed the room with an RFID tag which hung from their keychains, however under the new regulations an implantable, glass encapsulated RFID tag from VeriChip must be injected into the bicep to gain access ... although the company does not require the microchips be implanted to maintain employment.'"

(Via Slashdot.)

---