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Original poster

Would you Microchip your child?

141 replies

clumsymum · 15/05/2007 14:09

this article in the Times today points out that it is technically possible.

But is this really where we want to go?

OP posts:
MuminBrum · 15/05/2007 16:11

Microchipped boffin is here. It was only a temporary experiment. Apparently the implant site went manky like a bad piercing.

essbeehindyou · 15/05/2007 16:17

Message withdrawn

paulaplumpbottom · 15/05/2007 16:20

Yes, as long as it could be removed at a certain age. Although I suppose then people taking children would just learn to remove them themselves

Callisto · 15/05/2007 16:54

Stigaloid - completely agree. And I also think that a person who wants to abduct a child wouldn't think twice about gouging out some microchip device with a knife or even quickly doing what he wanted and killing the child before the police caught up with him. It would be less likely to find an abducted child alive imo. Microchips would be self-defeating.

As food for thought, the greyhound racing industry has for years used a tattoo system of id - place and date of birth. The ears are tattooed so that there is some traceabliity and to 'protect' the dogs. All this means for the greyhounds is that they get their ears cut off before they are dumped.

tiredemma · 15/05/2007 16:56

OMG- this is so weird.

I had a dream about this just last night and was going to post a thread today asking if you all thought it would be a good idea- how freaky??!!

In answer to the OP- yes I would- but would allow my children to have it removed/inactivated during their teens.

I know that it is a rare occurence - but my very worst fear would be not knowing where my child was.

I shudder just thinking about it

MrsMar · 15/05/2007 17:00

Definitely not. Paranoia induced by terribly sad story is not enough for me. Statistically children are much safer now than when I was growing up in the 70s, and that includes safer from sexual predators. Being abducted by a stranger is one of the rarest crimes, I'm not prepared to have my child micro chipped for something that will probably never happen, and won't prevent it anyway. It only takes a minute for a paedophile to do something terrible to a child.

MrsMar · 15/05/2007 17:01

Forgot to add... much better that your child is aware and streetwise than relying on technology that can fail at any time.

Boco · 15/05/2007 17:07

No way. I really worry about this sort of thing, it's total scaremongering by the press getting people into a paranoid frenzy. Abduction is so rare - and if it did happen, what would a chip do? It could be removed.

I thought id cards were bad enough, it'll be
barcodes at birth soon!

However i will start petitioning for all stairs to be removed and replaced with slides and lifts, because that IS a sensible idea.

ruty · 15/05/2007 17:07

i was going to say yes, until MP brought up the hacking it out of the skin.

ELF1981 · 15/05/2007 17:19

Possibly I would consider it.

kama · 15/05/2007 17:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mm22bys · 15/05/2007 17:31

Before these events I think probably not, but DH and I were discussing exactly this the other night, and I think I would....

GiantSquirrelSpotter · 15/05/2007 20:08

Would you not be more afraid of a mad kidnapper hacking the chip out of your child's arm though?

I hadn't really considered that, but it's a really good point. It would be likely to lead to more pain and injury for your child in the event of him or her being abducted.

Hathor · 15/05/2007 20:09

Arrrgh no this is one step too far. Oh Brave New World.

CoteDAzur · 15/05/2007 22:30

If the technology were here, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

This has nothing to do with cottonwooling kids, their independence, etc. It is an insurance policy. One that hopefully we would never need.

DH works with several companies that work in GPS market. They say the technology is not yet good enough, because the batteries don't yet last long enough to merit implantation. (Yes, he has asked.)

NotanOtter · 15/05/2007 22:32

my dp 'chips' tings everyday
tbh i probably would ...

madamez · 15/05/2007 22:41

Not in a million years. Would all you paranoids who wnat to do that to your kids, be happy to be chipped yourselves? So your boss can monitor how long you spend on the bog? So your abusive ex can track you down? So no matter what you're doing, some nosy bastard or other can spy on you?

juuule · 15/05/2007 22:43

I certainly wouldn't. Agree with Madamez.

cylonbabe · 15/05/2007 22:43

never

JoolsToo · 15/05/2007 23:17

let's chip everyone when they're born then we'll know where everyone is

Twinklemegan · 15/05/2007 23:19

Enough said.

UnquietDad · 15/05/2007 23:19

Sounds like something out of Philip K Dick.

OtterInnit · 15/05/2007 23:20

i just mean identichip not life i chip

Quattrocento · 16/05/2007 12:49

I wouldn't put a chip on my children.

But I WOULD make sure that they had a sitter before leaving them alone, even for half an hour.

CoteDAzur · 16/05/2007 16:57

madamez - Personally, I was talking about a device that would only be activated in an emergency, not to keep ongoing tap on your kid's activities.

Realistically, any implanted device will have a limited battery life, so you can't very well keep it on all day every day.

I believe the idea is to activate it in case they are kidnapped or otherwise missing for an extended amount of time.

unquietDad - As someone who has read the vast majority of Philip K. Dick's myriad books and short stories, I have no idea why you would say a GPS chip would be like "something out of Philip K. Dick".