Issues surrounding the use and deployment of RFID technology are quickly moving from business needs to the political. Technologists have created remote identification technology, but does the public want it? Last year, Benetton withdrew its plan to put RFID chips into some clothing after activists garnered international attention by pointing out that Benetton was about to deploy a technology without thinking through the privacy implications.

A lot is being said about RFID. Some of the criticism is dead-on target; other critique relies on scenarios that are technically impossible. Meanwhile, some complaints that appear to be focused on RFID are actually criticisms about other technologies and business practices—things that can be done with or without radio frequency identification systems.

The goal of the RFID Privacy Workshop is to bring together RFID technologists, boosters, critics, privacy advocates, and journalists covering the space to establish some technical truths and a framework for discussing the policy issues.