‘Barcode everyone at birth’

This week science fiction writer Elizabeth Moon argues that everyone should be given a barcode at birth. “If I were empress of the Universe I would insist on every individual having a unique ID permanently attached - a barcode if you will; an implanted chip to provide an easy, fast inexpensive way to identify individuals." [Sure. Handy. Convenient. What could go wrong? Because we could have implanted net-connected co-processors to make us all as smart as Google! And, just to be on the safe side, we'll give the good ol' trustworthy government the power to decide when they release poison and kill the host!]