Technological convergence between nanotechnologies and RFID labels: anew threat to privacy?

Abstract

Manufactured nanomaterials (MNM), those new materials obtained from the employment of nanotechnologies, are used among other things to enhance the technical properties of Radio Frequency Identification tags. Although these electronic devices are mainly used in the commercial area to ensure a constant traceability of products, there have been already documented some cases where they were employed to acquire personal data. In this sense, the objective of this research is to analyze whether in those cases the privacy of individuals has been respected on the basis of the personal data protection regulations.