As Society Strives for Reduced Contact During the Pandemic, How Can Human Microchipping Help?

As the world continues to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus, we look for new ways to reduce contact. Delivery services leave groceries and packages on the porch without waiting for someone to answer the door. Drive-thru windows at fast food restaurants put scanning machines outside the window or pass credit cards and food to customers on a tray, rather than hand-to-hand. What if we did not need to show a credit card? Or at work, what if we could eliminate germ-covered keys and identity badges? Radio frequency identification chips can be embedded under a human’s skin and permit them to unlock doors without keys or key cards, and could eventually replace the need to carry identity, credit and debit cards, or cash. This Article considers the implications of incorporating this cutting-edge technology into the workplace as well as our daily lives, balancing the benefits with the privacy, safety, and legal issues.