Discovery Channel Knuckles Under to Big Business?

Published on August 30th, 2008

Posted by John C Dvorak in General

Kind of a disgusting video regarding RFID, if true.

Found Michiel deRoos.

19 users responded in " Discovery Channel Knuckles Under to Big Business? "

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# 1 joaoPT said, on August 30th, 2008 at 5:13 pm

None but the BBC could pull a “independent” mythbusters kind of show, and even then, maybe…

# 2 bobbo said, on August 30th, 2008 at 5:26 pm

Why would you think it isn’t true?

I recall their show on magnetic strip credit cards–eg, “Eel skin wallets will demagnetize your credit info”==BUSTED!

They could just do a show on how great and wonderful everything TI does is and that show would see air. Corporate America==one half or more of the fascist plan.

# 3 Seth said, on August 30th, 2008 at 5:28 pm

He seemed super candid about everything and I actually don’t blame Discovery.

They are a large target and in 2008 companies are very litigious. I wouldn’t try it if I were under such a threat.

These are things the internet is made for. An anonymous person can make a viral video about the weaknesses of RFID and get it out there without fear of litigation.

# 4 DieFundie said, on August 30th, 2008 at 5:35 pm

I’m surprised at your surprise, John. Most businesses operate through intimidation and maintaining market domination at all costs.

# 5 R.O.P. said, on August 30th, 2008 at 5:36 pm

Tommy Thompson, 42nd Governor of Wisconsin and the 7th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, claimed he had such faith in RFID chips he would have himself implanted with one. 3 years later, we are STILL waiting for that to happen.

# 6 Mr. Fusion said, on August 30th, 2008 at 6:12 pm

While the Discovery Channel must ask “how high” when told to jump by the advertisers, PBS doesn’t. Here is a show the Credit Card companies wish didn’t make it on the air. Commercial broadcasters could never show something like this.

# 7 bobbo said, on August 30th, 2008 at 6:22 pm

Well, its a good thing their show is not called “MYTHBUSTERS UNCENSORED” or Mustard would be all over it like yellow on a tulip.

# 8 gquaglia said, on August 30th, 2008 at 6:33 pm

Most businesses operate through intimidation and maintaining market domination at all costs.

Did someone mention Microsoft?

# 9 Greg Allen said, on August 30th, 2008 at 6:36 pm

This is another case where WE NEED THE GEEKS!

C’mon guys. Hack RFID, hack it hard and post the results!

# 10 Peanut Butter and Jam said, on August 31st, 2008 at 1:19 am

joaoPT None but the BBC could pull a “independent” mythbusters kind of show, and even then, maybe…

Perhaps back in the good old days before the BBC’s mandate included “leveraging the most out of licence fee money” (which is to say, taking that yearly £140 TV licence fee every UK citizen has to pay if they want to own a TV and using it to produce crappy shows that will sell abroad –mostly to Americans– or programmes that sell a lot of mechandises, like Teletubbies and Bob the Builder).

I am afraid that the days of BBC independence from the corporate world has expired….

# 11 Dallas said, on August 31st, 2008 at 4:31 am

I don’t see the hubbub if was about RFID’s being hackable. Everyone knows they are not foolproof. They still make sense for inventory, transport and many applications.

I was waiting for a scene showing Discovery engineers forcing Panda bears to eat a pound of RFID’s a day for testing. Didn’t see it.

# 12 MagnusPatris said, on August 31st, 2008 at 4:31 am

Wait! Screw RFID, I wanted to learn how to make a better pizza and it was cut off! Vast right wing pizza conspiracy? New York crust makers syndicate? Pizza stone lobbyists? Why was this important information censored! Conspiracy! Conspiracy!

# 13 Alex said, on August 31st, 2008 at 5:31 am

“I don’t see the hubbub if was about RFID’s being hackable. Everyone knows they are not foolproof. They still make sense for inventory, transport and many applications.”

It’s because they – and by “they” I mean certain agencies that control how you spend your money, how you keep your medical information, etc. – want to implant you with an RFID tag that has all of this information right there for anyone to access.

No one cares for merchandise control because it’s probably not cost-effective to hack an RFID tag to just steal a single item. But when your credit information and your very private, personal medical information is potentially being advertised to the world, it’s a dangerous thing that should be looked into.

# 14 Dallas said, on August 31st, 2008 at 5:52 am

#13 I agree. But I don;t see the connection with your good point to the Discovery channel.

If someone wants to hack a Panda bear’s RFID to make it seem like a bald eagle is hibernating in a cave, I suppose we’ll just have to use the data collected as an estimate.

I totally agree that RFID abuse of function and inherent weakness is an issue.

# 15 Eric said, on August 31st, 2008 at 6:33 am

Walmart has been attempting to use RFID for some time now, but has been having a lot of trouble getting it to work…

http://www.techworld.com/mobility/features/index.cfm?featureid=872

This article was from 2004, so I imagine there has been some improvement, but I still see a lot of stock boys (persons?) with barcode readers in Walmart.

# 16 amodedoma said, on August 31st, 2008 at 9:40 am

Who the heck watches Discovery anymore… I mean Mythbusters, American chopper, etc… If you want to see documentaries, Discovery shouldn’t be your first choice.
RFID has been around a while now and just isn’t taking off. Obviously the problems are bigger than the potential.

# 17 Benji said, on August 31st, 2008 at 11:39 am

Hollywood includes some of the biggest of the “big businesses” out there but it’s not mentioned as a big business itself. Ever stop to wonder why?

# 18 Angel H. Wong said, on August 31st, 2008 at 3:21 pm

#16

“Who the heck watches Discovery anymore… I mean Mythbusters, American chopper, etc… ”

It was either those shows or American Football documentaries, or the evolution of female breasts with Carmen Electra rubbing herself against a brass pole during the boring parts in order for them to get an American audience.

# 19 joaoPT said, on August 31st, 2008 at 4:37 pm

#18
Ditto…

The thing it gets me the most here with Discovery, is the fact we see a show without commercial breaks, so every 5 minutes we get a recap of what was just said. It feels so bad. It’s like they’re calling us morons…

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