ORLANDO — In an attempt to combat critics and government legislation aimed against RFID technology, the ASSA ABLOY Identification Technology Group (ITG) has released a set of best practices it says can be used to ensure privacy protection for radio frequency identification (RFID) users
The set of guidelines for those that install and use RFID products were announced at the ASIS Int’l Seminar and Exhibits in Orlando, Fla. The guidelines come as 12 state legislatures are considering legislation concerning RFID products.
“We were taken aback that RFID was blanketed as something high risk to privacy,” Denis Hebert, president of smart-card maker HID and co-CEO of ITG, said. “Security and privacy are not mutually exclusive. There needs to be a balance.” Among the eight best practices announced by ITG, which it encouraged its buyers to follow, were the following:
- Support of industry best practices through self-regulation, certifications and other methods for protecting the security of personally identifiable information and other private data. These practices should be auditable and enforceable.
- Implementation of security for personally identifiable user information with protection that is proportional to threats to that data.
- Personal data stored on products are recommended to be subject to review by the user upon request.
- Products not intended to be used for sharing any personally identifiable information.
- ITG considers responsible use of its products to include only the collection of necessary personally identifiable information.
- ITG products or services are not to be used to track any person without their knowledge and consent.
- Recommends people be made aware of and consent to the use of an RFID tag on any product or personal effect.
- ITG will provide upon request consumer education concerning its products.
