# Wisconsin Company To Implant Microchips In Employees
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [July 23, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947 "2017-07-23T14:59:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/1 "2017-07-23T14:59:12Z")
It’s voluntary, but why would anyone agree to this? Is it really so difficult to wave a credit card?
[http://kstp.com/news/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees-three-square-market/4549459/](http://kstp.com/news/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees-three-square-market/4549459/)
> [@](#):
>
> “We’ll come up, scan the item,” he explained, while showing how the process will work at an actual break room market kiosk. “We’ll hit pay with a credit card, and it’s asking to swipe my proximity payment now. I’ll hold my hand up, just like my cell phone, and it’ll pay for my product.”
>
> More than 50 Three Square Market employees are having the devices implanted starting next week. Each chip is about the size of a single grain of rice.
>
> Along with purchasing market kiosk items, employees will be albe to use the chip to get into the front door and log onto their computers.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/2 "2017-07-23T15:08:03Z")
From the link.
> [@](#):
>
> Each chip costs $300 and the company is picking up the tab. They’re implanted between a person’s thumb and forefinger. Westby added\*\* the data is both encrypted and secure.\*\*
>
> “ **There’s no GPS tracking at all** ,” he said.
Bull. Shit.
There has to be some reason the company will spend $300 per person.
And when a person quits/gets fired/laid off, who picks up the tab for removal?
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/3 "2017-07-23T15:12:37Z")
For devices like this, there _couldn’t_ be any GPS tracking. GPS takes too much power to fit in a device this small. This is just passive RFID.
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### Author:  [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/4 "2017-07-23T15:13:43Z")
There’s no GPS tracking because chips like this aren’t active, they’re just like the chips you get for your pet. Scan the chip, get a code back. The reason it can be so small is that it has no battery, the power comes from the scan.
So this is like getting your badge embedded in your skin. It’s a silly thing to do, but it can’t track you, unless you go around sticking your hand in RFID scanners all day.
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/5 "2017-07-23T15:21:18Z")
Yeah, every so often I hear about this but -
Who pays for removal? Or are you just expected to keep the [del]brand[/del] chip of your former employer(s) for life?
How many chips are you expected to have over a lifetime? So far I’ve heard about this for several employers, a governmental facility in Mexico, and a couple of fancy resorts. Apparently, each has their own chip.
Who will be liable for bad reactions to the chip, infections, and other complications? If this is “voluntary” is it too bad, the employee just has to deal with it/pay for treatment because they did it to themselves?
How “voluntary” is this? Is it/will it become a job requirement? Will there be discrimination against those who don’t get chipped?
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/6 "2017-07-23T15:22:34Z")
> [@davidm](#):
>
> Is it really so difficult to wave a credit card?
Aren’t you fancy-schmancy, waving your credit card around to buy stuff? Is it really so difficult to _swipe_ a credit card?
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/7 "2017-07-23T15:30:36Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Aren’t you fancy-schmancy, waving your credit card around to buy stuff? Is it really so difficult to _swipe_ a credit card?
First, you have to learn some pickpocketing skills.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/8 "2017-07-23T15:33:13Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Aren’t you fancy-schmancy, waving your credit card around to buy stuff? Is it really so difficult to _swipe_ a credit card?
I agree. I’m not fond of any kind of proximity scanning that doesn’t absolutely require an intentional act on my part.
Regarding the posts about GPS; it’s true that these chips can’t be tracked via GPS, but that’s not the only issue here.
Do we really want implanted ID chips in this country, especially considering what’s been happening politically?
This is one more step towards the normalization of this kind of thing.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/9 "2017-07-23T15:49:29Z")
The chips are Model #666, right?
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### Author:  [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/10 "2017-07-23T15:53:05Z")
It may not be able to track by its own GPS but it can track you by every device able to read the id and if the device reports its location then it’s more or less the same thing.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/11 "2017-07-23T16:28:37Z")
Meanwhile, most people can be tracked more precisely using the smartphone in their pocket. In short, if you’re concerned about being tracking, there are many other ways that you can and are being tracked already.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/12 "2017-07-23T16:44:21Z")
Not if it was the last job on Earth.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/13 "2017-07-23T18:00:32Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Each chip is about the size of a single grain of rice.
Cooked, or uncooked?
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/14 "2017-07-23T18:18:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> For devices like this, there _couldn’t_ be any GPS tracking. GPS takes too much power to fit in a device this small. This is just passive RFID.
More or less the same chip my dogs have.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/15 "2017-07-23T18:56:47Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> The chips are Model #666, right?
Huh, mine said 999#.
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### Author:  [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/16 "2017-07-23T19:06:04Z")
> [@davidm](#):
>
> I agree. I’m not fond of any kind of proximity scanning that doesn’t absolutely require an intentional act on my part.
Allow me to introduce my new patent pending [faraday glove](http://www.chicmags.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Michael-Jackson-Glove.gif). Guaranteed to protect you from all unwanted scanning interaction.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/17 "2017-07-23T19:14:14Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Meanwhile, most people can be tracked more precisely using the smartphone in their pocket. In short, if you’re concerned about being tracking, there are many other ways that you can and are being tracked already.
But I at least have some choice in that. I can turn of location services or even leave the phone at home if I’m really paranoid.
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### Author:  [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/18 "2017-07-23T19:21:27Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> There has to be some reason the company will spend $300 per person.
Easier for the employees to spend more of their earnings on the company’s product.
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### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/19 "2017-07-23T19:36:46Z")
> [@Broomstick](#):
>
> How many chips are you expected to have over a lifetime? So far I’ve heard about this for several employers, a governmental facility in Mexico, and a couple of fancy resorts. Apparently, each has their own chip.
So we won’t even have to write up and maintain our own resumes any more. Our entire work history will be right there between our fingertips.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-company-to-implant-microchips-in-employees/791947/20 "2017-07-23T19:40:53Z")
> [@davidm](#):
>
> > [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
> >
> > Meanwhile, most people can be tracked more precisely using the smartphone in their pocket. In short, if you’re concerned about being tracking, there are many other ways that you can and are being tracked already.
>
> But I at least have some choice in that. I can turn of location services or even leave the phone at home if I’m really paranoid.
You have some choice here as well. You can opt not to have the implant. And of course, unless you work for that one company, it’s not even an issue.
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