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10/16/2003 Archived Entry: "The "gee-whiz" factor -- a big part of RFID mania"

THE "GEE-WHIZ" FACTOR IS A BIG PART OF RFID MANIA. Couple that with "the customer as unwitting guinea pig" and suddenly all good sense flees from commerce.

"A day in the life of a newspaper ... would be a very interesting study" in terms of location, pass-along, retention, recycling, and other data. "I think on the preprint side for major retailers there'd be a lot of interest," he said, in learning what happens to ads, particularly for specific inserts and zones.

[RFID chips in newspapers] could provide a series of snapshots of customer behavior over time and across space. Where and when do people working in a given location buy papers? Do they bring them home, or do others read them later in other locations? Do home subscribers carry copies to work? Do workplace subscribers take copies home? All sections, or some? Only on some days?

What they seem to forget is that, the moment you pay for that newspaper at a stand or pick it up from your doorstep it becomes none of their f*g business what you do with it.

This story comes courtesy of Rick in Germany, where they're a lot worse off than we Americans, and a lot less inclined to make a fuss about it.

Posted by Claire @ 11:28 AM CST
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