A growing movement of Swedes are implanting microchips into their hands to replace credit cards and cash.
“Tech will move into the body,” the microchip pioneer Jowan Osterlund said to the New York Post, “I am sure of that.”
More than 4,000 citizens have opted to insert the chip, which is about the size of a grain of rice. The chip can also help monitor health and replace keycards for access into offices and buildings.
The progressive country hopes the chips catch on and thereby eliminate the need for cash. Microchip owners can simply swipe their hands to pay in stores.
Osterlund, who also owns Biohax International, has claimed that the technology is completely safe for users. But many are more concerned about privacy.
“The problem is, who owns this data?” Ben Libberton, a Swedish scientist, said. “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?
“People have shown they’re happy to give up privacy for convenience,” he continued. “The chip is very convenient, so could we accept our data being shared very widely before we know the risks?”
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