Mickey wants your fingerprints

Disney World has started using fingerprint scanners at their park entrances to ensure that the person using a ticket is the person who bought it. Naturally, privacy experts are concerned, as they argue that "Disney's use of the technology 'fails a proportionality test' by requiring too much personal information for access to rollercoasters."

When I went to Disney World in 2004, they didn't have to scan any body parts to let me into the park; only my ticket. If I were to go back now, I'd be very wary about letting park attendants scan my fingerprints. Although Disney says that the biometric data is purged 30 days after the park ticket expires, the potential for misuse of the information if someone were to hack into their system is a definite concern.

It's also disturbing that "There are no signs posted at the entrances detailing what information is being collected and how it is being used". I like to know what is done with my personal information, and I think park visitors should be told up-front, rather than having to find and ask an employee (who may or may not be well-informed or able to provide details).

For those of you wary of this new technology, keep this tip in mind if you're heading to the House of Mouse: although it's not advertised, visitors who object to the new technology can provide photo ID instead.

3 comments:

  1. "Hell is the impossibility of reason."

    I try hard not to be too cynical, but it's not easy these days.

    I don't have a clue as to where we're ultimately headed, but I'm an optimist so I'm hoping for the best.

    I very much enjoy your blog.

    Max

     
  2. It's not long until a criminal background check of entrants [if it isn't being done now] is run from the fingerprint. Then ABC News can break a story about how wonderful the park's technology is, while at the same time ignoring how a criminal likely will steal the data to frame others for his/her crimes in the future.

     
  3. I'm another optimist-at-heart, trying not to become too cynical.