It's no longer just about the technology, or even the business for that matter. Technology has done such a good job of servicing or involving itself with every facet of our lives that it has opened the door to a whole new realm of issues and a whole new class of "shareholders." It seems that today you can expect to see global protests, online petitions, congressional hearings, threats of legislation, etc., etc. Misguided or not, it's going to get interesting.

High-tech companies will keep innovating, of course, but this turn of events means they're going to have to think through the ramifications of their services a lot more deeply than they ever did before, and security is going to have to become a driver in the development process.

A good example is RFID. Just when it seemed the tagging technology might be picking up some momentum, supporters watching the news these last two weeks probably found much cause for dismay.

Red flags are being waved everywhere: We don’t have enough skilled people to deploy RFID, cheaper chips are short-changing security, privacy issues aren't being addressed, and cell phones may pose a threat to RFID chips.

It's enough to give even the most ardent proponent of RFID pause. But that pause may be just what the market needs. There are issues that need to be addressed, and some solutions and compromises will undoubtedly have to be worked out in order to smooth the way for RFID to go firmly forward. The good thing here is that discussions are starting to take place. Technology has long since slipped its business-only bonds, but it's only now catching up to the dialogue it needs to have if it wants to play to a broader audience. The new shareholders are out there, and they want to talk. Is high tech ready?

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