Battle over RFID tags at the Border Divides Industry
The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security both see RFID as a tool to address their needs at the border, but they each have different needs.
The State Department, hearing concerns from privacy advocates and others, has weighed in with a preference for border documents with chips that can only be read at close range - less than 10 centimeters.
DHS, however, already uses RFID at some ports and borders, and prefers a longer read range - several meters - to help facilitate traffic and commerce at the borders. The Department of Commerce has begun to weigh in on that side too, after hearing concerns from US manufacturers that delays at ports and borders could cripple the economy.
In an unusual move, the US Senate passed an Amendment this summer that delays the implementation of this border technology initiative in order to give more time to resolve these differences within the federal government. At the same time, they picked sides, mandating that the State Department standard be adopted after a one year delay.
Two technology trade associations have taken opposing sides. The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) has taken the usual industry position against Congressionally-mandated technology standards. The AeA (formerly American Electronics Association) has taken the opposite view, supporting the adoption of the Senate language and endorsing the State Department standard.
The outcome of this debate affects not only those who sell RFID systems, but everyone who does cross-border commerce. The industry split likely is driven by just three or four active members of each organization - pushing the position that supports the sales of their product. But this issue will likely continue to boil over, as more companies become aware of the implications and decide not to let a small handful of companies dominate the decision over how international commerce is conducted.
