RFID: Another Consumer Privacy Backlash Looming?

Seana wrote a column on Monday about RFID and its implications for marketers. I wrote a counterpoint on Tuesday, showcasing RFID as the next big sacrifice of consumer privacy.

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of marketers chiming in on the Spin Board about how there's nothing to worry about. They cite Catalina's couponing technology, credit card based consumer profiles and all sorts of other stuff as evidence that RFID is nothing new from a marketing perspective. Sorry, but as a consumer, I don't want every purchase I make broadcasting its existence to anyone with a scanner, even if it is over a short distance. I'm picturing the day when someone with a handheld scanner walks into my apartment building, walks by my apartment door and instantly knows the titles of the DVDs in my collection, what shampoo I have in my bathroom and when I'm likely to need a refill on my dishwashing detergent.

I have a supporter or two on the Spin Board, but most are dismissing my concerns as paranoid. I guess we'll see.