Technology Article

Inside Secure announces NFC chips to help distinguish knockoffs from the real thing

1. Synopsis of the article - This article is about the French company Inside Secure, who has created the Vault150 security module, a chip that can be placed in a product and be read by a smartphone. The company hopes that it will be used to halt the problem of counterfeiting by having companies place the chips in their products, such as bags, shoes, or a bottle wine, so buyers can be aware of authentic products. 

1. Identify the stakeholders (people who have a vested interest in the scenario) - The stakeholders in this situation are the companies who produce valuable products, the retailers who sell the products, and the buyers. 
2. Identify AND describe the social and ethical issues related to the article - The social and ethical issues related to this article are intellectual property and people and machines. Designers create valuable products and counterfeiters steal their designs and create look-alike products. The situation is related to people and machines because buyers can be aware of whether the product they are buying is authentic or counterfeit.
3. Identify the area of impact (look at the front board on the left) - The area of impact related to this situation is Arts, Home, and Leisure because people buy valuable products for their leisure and they often want to buy real products instead of counterfeit. This situation is also related to business because consumers want to buy authentic products which support the original designer or company. 
4. Describe the advantages/benefits in your example? The advantages of this product is that buyers can be aware of whether a product is authentic or counterfeit. Selling counterfeit goods is a major problem and this chip provides a solution to unknowingly buying a counterfeit good. 
5. Describe the disadvantages/costs in your example? - A disadvantage of this product is that street vendors who sell counterfeit goods may not get as much business because buyers will realize that their products are counterfeit. Also, there is no guarantee that the chip will be able to tell whether every product is authentic or counterfeit. 
6. What is your opinion of the issue? i.e. How does it affect you? How do you feel about that? - I am happy that this chip has been created because I believe that it helps the designer who originally created the product. The designer will earn more money from buyers purchasing their authentic goods. Also, it will end the confusion of determining whether a product is counterfeit or authentic when there is no way to tell. 
7. Present one or more solutions to the issue(s) at hand. - One solution to the issue of counterfeit goods is for the police to use this product in order to crack down on counterfeiting, which is a major problem in many countries.