Tracking chips are among the biggest sci-fi ideas in The Changing Earth series, but how fictional are they? Today Chin and I look at Real ID and at implanted microchips. These are the main points from our conversation.

What Real ID is. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005, following the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. It sets minimum security standards for state driver's licenses and ID cards. Federal agencies can accept only compliant cards for federal buildings, nuclear sites and air travel.

What applicants need. A photo, proof of birthdate, proof of your Social Security number, documents for any name change, and proof of where you live. Making every state's card look alike makes them easier to read and harder to fake.

What Homeland Security says. The Department of Homeland Security says it is not building a federal database, and that each state controls its own records and who sees them.

The data-sharing question. States must agree to share data with each other, and a central system holds "pointer" information about Real IDs. New rules would also share data with Canada and Mexico. That is why some people worry about a national ID, facial recognition, and a database that a simple rule change could expand.

From cards to chips. If identification keeps evolving, the next step could be an implanted chip. RFID chips use electromagnetic fields to identify and track tags, and implants are the size of a grain of rice. They could hold ID, medical history, allergies or contact information.

Where chips are used today. Chips have long identified pets, and now they open doors and secure buildings. In 2006 a company called CityWatcher was the first to ask employees to receive implants. Researchers are also testing chips that release medication on demand.

The privacy trade-offs. Chips can be cloned with a handheld device, and an implanted chip can carry a computer virus. Supporters compare chips to credit cards, saying people trade some privacy for convenience. Skeptics are not convinced the benefits outweigh the risks.

How states are responding. Several states, including Wisconsin and North Dakota, have banned employers from requiring implants. The open question is whether safeguards keep pace with the technology.

What to take from it. Individual freedom and working together as a community are the backbone of the United States. Decisions about identification and privacy deserve a careful, open conversation before they are made for us.

Sources: DHS Real ID FAQs, Wikipedia: Real ID Act, Wikipedia: Microchip implant (human), BT: microchips and athletes, Hindawi (2016 study)