Citing consumer privacy concerns surrounding the implementation and use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, IBM researchers at IBM have devised an alternative to the current “kill” commands specified by EPCglobal in its Generation 2 protocol, which, from a consumer's perspective, offer no visible indication that a tag has actually been “killed.”

The new research suggests two trouble-free ways for consumers to visibly deactivate an RFID tag after making a purchase. One proposed solution is a so-called "clipped tag," which permits the tag to be deactivated mechanically by allowing the tag's antenna to be removed by the consumer.

The antenna would be made from scratch-off material, like that found on lottery tickets. The RFID tag would be manufactured so that all or part of the antenna is exposed, enabling consumers to immobilize the chip by scratching off the antenna.

Another possibility calls for a perforated antenna, one that is connected to the tag via a perforated material, similar to the way postage stamps are connected. The user could tear off the antenna with a simple pull tab.