It's common to implant microchips in dogs, but humans are a different story. As implants become more popular at workplaces, some worry about an Orwellian future. But others say it's already here -- with your smart phone.
New York Times tech writer John Quain says RFID chips are old tech now.
"These are already obsolete; the technology has already passed these embedded chips by."
But security expert Robert Siciliano of Porch.com says our neighbors to the south have bought in big time.
"The Mexican government requires federal employees to have chips implanted in them in order to properly identify and authenticate."
While some worry about an Orwellian future with forced chip implants, others see possibilities, like replacing a keycard for work or replacing the need for credit cards. You just pick up the item you want in a store and walk out; the chip is read and money is automatically deducted from your account. But right now Siciliano says embedded RFID chips can't do that.
"There might be a day when it will be able to store that much information in order to be able to transmit financial data; until then we're stuck with our mobile phones."
For now, Quain says, implanted chips are all voluntary.
"There are already several states in the United States that came up with legislation banning it; in other words you couldn't force an employee or someone to put a chip in them to get a certain service."
Under current U.S. law it's pretty much impossible to force someone to accept an implanted chip.