The Federal Trade Commission will hold a Town Hall meeting this summer to examine consumer protection issues related to the growing use of contactless payment devices based on RFID technology. The Town Hall, which will be free and open to the public, is scheduled for July 24, at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The FTC recognizes many benefits provided by these RFID applications, but is concerned with potential costs to consumers’ individual privacy rights associated with the technology’s growth. The public meeting will provide a chance to begin studying the new technology as it matures, convene interested parties and weigh the costs and benefits to consumers of its use.
Among the topics planned for discussion are: the extent to which contactless devices and readers are being deployed domestically and around the world; consumers’ understanding of contactless payment capabilities and potential risks, and the need for further consumer education; security and privacy threats and proposed solutions; and emerging developments that may shape the contactless payment marketplace in the future.
The FTC invites anyone with an interest in the topic to submit a request to be a panelist and to recommend other related topics for discussion. The requests should be submitted electronically to payonthego@ftc.gov by June 6, 2008. ![[end]](/resources/bullet/rfidnews-4.gif)
