Radio frequency identification, or RFID, is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify people or objects. There are several methods of identification, but the most common is to store a serial number that identifies a person or object, and perhaps other information, on a microchip that is attached to an antenna (the chip and the antenna together are called an RFID transponder or an RFID tag). The antenna enables the chip to transmit the identification information to a reader. The reader converts the radio waves reflected back from the RFID tag into digital information that can then be passed on to computers that can make use of it. A dark cloud may loom over the RFID technology because of precisely what it does and potential for abuse. At a recent meeting of the World Summit on Information Technology in Geneva, Switzerland, the badges worn by some high-level attendees included an embedded RFID tag. Some of the participants were not aware of the embedded chips, and privacy issues were raised. While the chips could provide tracking information on the whereabouts of individuals, they were not long-range devices that could track every move and were intended to provide increased security at entry checkpoints. This raised questions about what was being done with the data collected. As with any new technology and its applications, there are issues and concerns that may foster or hinder the development and acceptance of the technology.