People Are Getting Chip Implants To Replace Cash And Credit Cards

Man, Hand, Microchip, Table
Photo credit (Photo by Getty Images)

It seems that people in Sweden are tired of carrying around wallets.

Thousands of Swedes have taken to getting chips implanted into their skins with the purpose of replacing all of their cash and credit cards.  More than 4,000 people have undergone the procedure, which takes the chip, about the size of a grain of rice, and implants it into their hands.  

The chips monitor health, and have even replaced keycards required to enter office buildings and apartments. The biggest feature, however, is the ability to pay at shops with a simple swipe of the hand.  “It’s very Black Mirror,” says Swedish scientist Ben Libberton.

While the technology and process itself is safe, the biggest concern is the mass collection of data the chips perform.  Libberton told The Post, "The problem is, who owns this data?  Do I get a letter from my insurance company saying premiums are going up before I know I’m ill?  If I use the chip to buy lunch, go to the gym and go to work, will someone have all of this info about me? Is this stored and is it safe?  It’s not just about the chip, but integration with other systems and data sharing."

Via NY Post