Science fiction writer Elizabeth Moon argues that everyone should be given a barcode at birth. “If I were empress of the Universe I would insist on every individual having a unique ID permanently attached - a barcode if you will; an implanted chip to provide an easy, fast inexpensive way to identify individuals. It would be imprinted on everyone at birth. Point the scanner at someone and there it is."
There are many obvious advantages to her proposal, from preventing the switching of babies at birth to identifying combatants in war. However, I suspect privacy advocates, such as myself, will object.
It certainly would make life easier for future genealogists, however!
You can read more in the BBC web site at http://goo.gl/lHg6F.
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