Walmart is rolling out a new way of tracking inventory — and customers, according to privacy advocates — next month, by attaching radio-frequency ID (RFID) tags to jeans and underwear. Though the tags ostensibly let employees assess stock supplies more accurately, opponents allege that these "spytags" let Walmart and other unscrupulous marketers track buyers' behavior once they leave the store. Nonsense, say Walmart and retailers who already use the technology. Should consumers be worried?
This is an inevitable development: Ooooh, "horrors!" says Dennis Kneale in CNBC. "Walmart wants to track your panties purchases." This silly flap wouldn't even make the news if it didn't involve the "Darth Vader of retailers." But "the Cassandras of the privacy movement" can't stop this "inevitable tech trend," because it makes serious financial sense. Besides, in the age of Facebook, will anybody really join this "privacy prude" parade?
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.