Spychips: How Major Corporations and Government Plan to Track Your Every Purchase and Watch Your Every Move

by Katherine Albrecht, Liz McIntyre

Winner of the Lysander Spooner Award for Advancing the Literature of Liberty

As you walk down the street, a tiny microchip implanted in your tennis shoe tracks your every move; chips woven into your clothing transmit the value of your outfit to nearby retailers; and a thief scans the chips hidden inside your money to decide if you’re worth robbing. This isn’t science fiction; in a few short years, it could be a fact of life.

Spychips takes readers into the frightening world of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). While manufacturers and the government want you to believe that they would never misuse the technology, the future looks like an Orwellian nightmare when you consider the possibilities of surveillance and tracking these chips embody. Combining in-depth research with firsthand reporting, Spychips reveals how RFID technology, if left unchecked, could soon destroy our privacy, radically alter the economy, and open the floodgates for civil liberty abuses.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Politics, Technology, Conspiracy Theories, Business, Computers

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2005

About the author

Dr. Katherine Albrecht is the director of CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering), an organization she founded in 1999 to advocate free-market, consumer-based solutions to the problem of retail privacy invasion.

Katherine is widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts on consumer privacy. She regularly speaks on the consumer privacy and civil liberties impacts of new technologies, with an emphasis on RFID and retail issues. She has testified on RFID technology before the Federal Trade Commission, state legislatures, the European Commission, and the Federal Reserve Bank, and she has given over a thousand television, radio and print interviews to news outlets all over the world. Her efforts have been featured on CNN, NPR, the CBS Evening News, Business Week, and the London Times, to name just a few.

Executive Technology Magazine has called Katherine "perhaps the country's single most vocal privacy advocate" and Wired magazine calls her the "Erin Brockovich" of RFID". Her success exposing corporate misdeeds has earned her accolades from Advertising Age and Business Week and caused pundits to label her a PR genius.

Katherine is co-author of "Spychips: How Major Corporations Plan to Track your Every Move with RFID." Two days prior to its release, Spychips flew the top of the Amazon bestseller charts, hitting number one as a "Mover & Shaker," making its way to the top-ten nonfiction bestseller list, and spending weeks as a Current Events bestseller. Within its first four weeks alone, the book sold thousands of copies, and the journalistic and privacy communities called it "brilliantly written," "stunningly powerful," and "scathing." In a nod to the book's focus on freedom, Spychips was awarded the prestigious Lysander Spooner Award for Advancing the Literature of Liberty and named "the best book on liberty" for 2005.

Katherine is a highly sought-after public speaker, informing audiences across Europe and North America with her well-researched, compelling, and often chilling accounts of how retail surveillance technology threatens our privacy. She is a frequent guest on radio programs worldwide, logging over 500 hours of airtime with her proven ability to entertain an audience and generate listener calls.

Katherine graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Marketing. She holds a Doctorate in Education from Harvard University with a research focus in consumer education, privacy and psychology.

Reviews

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read all about what big business and the new world order have done, are doing and plan to do with RFID technology in this book. Face it folks the Orwellian state is here. While some people are waking up and trying to fight it in whatever way they can the masses of sheeple, even if shown the facts about whats happening in the world could care less just so long as they can watch tv, play video games and eat McDonalds and potato chips.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me ripping RFID tags out of every place I could find them. Oddly, I found it to be a bit too paranoid. The authors were knowledgeable enough about the topic to know that it is pointless to resist. But still, somehow they retain hope that resistance is possible. Personally, given the ease of use of this technology, and the countless ways which it will invade our lives over the next few years, I can't imagine any future BUT the nightmare dystopia they envision.

Actually, they don't envision the nightmare much. They stick to the facts and let you construct your own nightmare vision. From what I read it is unavoidable. There is simply no way to prevent these tags from invading every aspect of our lives. I think they should have commented more on the positive aspects of the fast-arriving future. Like... I hate it when celery goes bad in the fridge. RFID can help with that.

Of course, once money is tagged, it's ALL OVER. You will not be able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast. The authors ignore the importance of a thriving black market.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Imagine a world of no more privacy."[return][return]That is the first sentence of and apprehension that motivates Spychips , an exploration of the history, technology and perceived dangers of Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tags. RFID tags are silicon computer chips with a unique identification number and a flat metallic antenna attached. The antenna allows the chip to communicate with RFID readers via radio waves. The chips, some as small as a grain of sand, can be imbedded in anything from products, the packages they come in, credit or frequent shopper cards, or even human skin. The radio waves allow the tag to be read from a distance through whatever it is in without the knowledge of the person possessing it.[return][return]Authors Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre are among the principal U.S. critics of RFID tags, which they call “spychips.†They are the leaders of an organization called CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering) and their book both explores "spychips" and serves as a call to arms of the dangers they believe the devices present to personal privacy.[return][return]Promoters of RFID technology say it is a breakthrough for tracking products. For example, with an RFID reader at a checkout counter, merchants can know immediately and exactly what their inventory and sales look like. RFID tags differ from the ubiquitous UPC symbol because every 16-ounce can of a particular beverage has the same UPC code. With RFID, however, a unique number is assigned each and every individual can.[return][return]While it seems innocuous enough, Albrecht and McIntyre say the plans and efforts of the RFID industry and government to date reveal the true threat of the technology. For example, IBM filed a patent application in 2001 for the "identification and tracking of persons using RFID-tagged items" by collecting RFID numbers at cash registers and storing them in a database. When the purchaser of an item returns, their "exact identity" can be determined from any tags they have with or on them and the tags can be "used to monitor the movements of the person through the store or other areas."[return][return]Balance of review at http://prairieprogressive.com/?p=650

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely not a "Light Read". If you want a glimpse of how not only Big Brother but all the corporations in search of gathering more and more data on you via the use of RFID chips, this book will scare the heck outta you! Some may not like it because of it's technical detail, but it's somewhat integral to understanding how these things work, what their limitations are and what exactly these Data Miners are in search of. It's chilling to read this because the common man or woman on the streets has no idea of just how much he's being watched, tracked, classified, pigeon-holed and ultimately receiving custom advertising tailored to his/her specific preferences. Nor do they seem to care, which is what the mega-corporations are counting on. If anyone should ask, they only comment about how wonderful their asset tracking is and how it can predict customer demands before supply runs out while we're left scratching our collective heads thinking they're doing us some fantastic service.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me, this is a scary read of what the future is most certainly to hold. In this day in age when we a re being watched almost everywhere we go it will not take long until the government and businesses are tracking us via these RFID chips. If you want to see what companies would like to do with the products we buy and the big brother capability of technology you need to read this book. Then you need to join/fight to keep our private life private.

[Seizure Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to Goodreads, five stars indicates "it was amazing." In this case those five stars should be interpreted as "scary as hell." Anyone who is concerned about privacy, personal liberty and/or the collusion between government and business* should take a look through this book. I feel obligated to point out that Thomas Nelson (publisher of the hardback edition) is a religious book publisher; it doesn't matter. I am one of the first people to point and laugh at over-the-top religious whackjobs, and I found this book to be highly relevant to a secular society. Many people will dismiss this as groundless paranoia. What they are choosing to ignore is that this is not science-fiction; this is technology that is available or being developed today. Do your own research by starting with this book.


*I believe the proper term for this is "fascism"-- but that would never be a problem here in the good 'ol U.S. of A, would it?

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horribly and sadly misinformed. Lots of conjecture about what *could* happen but very slim on facts about reality. Judging by the follow-up book (The Spychips Threat: Why Christians Should Resist RFID and Electronic Surveillance), the author seems to believe that the expansion of RFID technology is a precursor of the biblical "end of days," and that RFID is essentially the same as the "mark of the beast." On its face, the idea is pretty silly to me. In the book itself, Albrecht has the opportunity to make a stronger case but the evidence is extraordinarily slim.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a damn scary book. And its all true. And its happening right under our noses. Wake up people, youre not alone. Big Brother isnt necessarily the government. Let's see if you keep your shopping card after this book. You will begin to wonder just how deep and secretive these companies can be in your life. Might make you look at all those antennas they're constructing on the highways differently. Remember 1984? its reallllllll.

[B Kevin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok boys and girls, time to get out your tinfoil hats because it's the end of the world. Full of paranoid, worst case scenario what ifs, little actual info. The follow on bood is "The Spychips Threat: Why Christians Should Resist RFID and Electronic Surveillance" A pity trees had to die for this book

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although somewhat outdated, I was amazed at the technology available in the mid decade! I would be interested in learning what new steps have been taken by CASPIAN and the authors of this book in the interim since the book was published. An internet search revealed very little since that time.

[Curt Qualls · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read if your into this stuff as I am. History of RFID chips, how and why your shopping cards are used. The scare of the RFID drivers license Bush tried to push through and failed. The surgically implanted "Medical" chip idea. A good read.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An objective 1984 and then some. If you enjoy non-fiction and liked _1984_ and _Little Brother_ or simply care about privacy then read this book.

Also, the author has a podcast/radio show and web sites for this and related privacy projects.

[E. Nicolson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Subject matter that everyone should be made aware exists. Our material society has become much too complaisant in our buying habits. While this is an alarming read, it is well written and full of information.

[Patty Apostolides · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is much information here on a topic that is rarely discussed - RFID chips. Katherine Albrecht has honed in on the outcomes of this type of world, where chips are everywhere. She also looks into the future, and it's not a pretty picture. I found this to be a very informative read.

[Glenda Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books really makes you think about the power of marketing and where we are headed ...

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent content; not the best writing. Definitely worth reading.

[Jared · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting enough, but a little on the paranoid side. Some very good information on RFID technology though.

[Kelly Mayfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freaked me out and made me mad-- this woman has really done her homework and is a crusader for our privacy. It is scary what these big corporations think they can put over on us.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty damn creepy. And considering it's several years old, it's probably less creepy than reality.

[Joe Otto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended to me by my sister.

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jolting "what-if" scenarios if you value your privacy

[Steven Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen to Katherine Albrecht.

[Craig Bolton]

Spychips: How Major Corporations and Government Plan to Track Your Every Purchase and Watch Your Every Move by Katherine Albrecht (2006)

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book, but due to the subject material's nature, this is a bit of a downer.

[K. Kesington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth the read for the information, but not the writing. The facts are scary enough on their own without the sensationalist writing. And obviously a little outdated.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to seem paranoid but the implications contain in this book are disturbing.

[Pilar · Rating 1 out of 5]

I prefer that messianic authors do a better job of hiding their message.

[Kurt Zisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid read into the scary world of RFID chips and how information on individuals is tracked and compiled.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Pretty propaganda-y. As far as I'm concerned privacy doesn't really exist anyways.

[Paul Paradise]

Very interesting. A good resource.