FTC To Host Radio Frequency ID Workshop

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a workshop on September 23, 2008 titled, "Transatlantic RFID Workshop on Consumer Privacy and Data Security." The purpose of the workshop:

"...to explore emerging applications of radio frequency identification technology and their implications for consumer protection policy. The workshop will bring together industry representatives, government officials, and consumer advocates from Europe and the United States to discuss security and privacy concerns associated with RFID technology."

If you are unfamiliar with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, I suggest that you read these prior posts. As with any new technology, the proper installation and use of RFID -- with adequate data encryption -- is critical, since RFID cards usually contain sensitive personal information of consumers and employees. According to the news release:

"The workshop is being held in conjunction with the September 22, 2008 “Transatlantic Symposium on the Societal Benefits of RFID,” sponsored by the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue, the European-American Business Council, and EPCGlobal, with the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Commission."

The workshop is free and open to the public. If you cannot attend, a live webcast will be available at the FTC web site. The workshop will be held at the FTC Conference Center, 601 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.,Washington, DC 20001.

Maybe the three enterprising M.I.T. students will attend and contribute to the discussion.