Congress concerned over MagicBand security issues..

[finedice]

The letter also questions if people will be "punished" for not using the band. The "card" alternative that we've talked about seems to be the way around that. The card allows everything except the battery powered RFID that "pings" and tells Disney your location. The bands have the battery powered and non-battery RFID, the cards just have non-battery.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the plastic tickets will actually have the RFID chip in them as well, but I may be wrong.

On another note, I personally cannot believe how dismissive people are about their personal information, and how trusting they are in major coorporations like Disney to do the right thing with it. By nature, corporations have generally the same rights as human beings, but none of the conscience or guilt a human generally will have. The only responsibility of those that manage the corporations we "release" our pesonal info to every day is to the stock holders and their profits.

I suppose ignorance is bliss though. Right this way little lambs....

 

[SmileEar2Ear]

Maybe this is ignorance, but what information exactly do I need to worry about Disney having? These days credit card numbers are all over the place and the waitress at my local restaurant could just as easily steal my info. Why would Disney pick me out of the 100,000 other people they dealt with that day? And even if they did, most credit card companies don't make you pay for charges you didn't make. Your phone number, age, address, etc is easily found online. Bedsides that, does it really matter whether some Disney suit knows that I always buy caramels in Germany, ride TSMM at RD or that I prefer to stay at a moderate? Again, maybe it is just ignorance, but I am on vacation. It's not like I am providing them with my bank account number or other sensitive info.

 

[Tgtown]

The government has far more of my personal information than Disney ever will, and the sad thing is I trust them far less than I do Disney.

 

[John Darling]

IMO, the federal government needs to keep it's nose out of this. It's laughable for Congress to feign concern over the privacy of ordinary citizens.

This is a private company. No one is forced to go to Disney World. If you don't like the way they do business, then don't go.

FWIW, I share some of the same concerns as the Congressman, but I value liberty over government "protection."

 

[KrazeeK120]

The government has far more of my personal information than Disney ever will, and the sad thing is I trust them far less than I do Disney.

This.

There are SO MANY people who have far more sensitive information about me than Disney would ever collect. My county has my birth and marriage certificates. My doctor has oodles of information about me, as does my car, home, and health insurance providers. Any place I shop or dine could have my credit card information. My credit card has an RFID chip in it (I can use the "blink" feature at many credit card locations) and has for 3 years. I've never had a problem, and if I did, I would sort it out with the credit card company. You don't have to put charging privileges on your KTTW card if you don't want to, if you're scared about credit card information being stolen. Besides, Disney doesn't tie your KTTW card to your name, specifically.

If I'm not worried about all of the other people who have my personal information, I'm certainly not going to care that Disney might know that I like to try different resorts, that I always ride Soarin' more than once, and that I like to eat at Biergarten.

 

[finedice]

For me, its the ethical question of whether I am comfortable with the intent to manipulate me, and more importantly, my child. For her age (10), she is very mature, but still unable to make decisions that are necessarily in her best interests.

Marketing to children is quite easy, and routinely done. McDonalds has a clown, and silly characters, and used to have toys in the food. So did cereals back in the day. Disney definitely does it in a magical way.

I do love Disney myself - don't get me wrong. Yet even their TV shows touch on some topics and attitudes in children that I find a little questionable for the age of kids that are watching. Of course, they also have control over the advertising on their own stations. In essence, I have to be constantly vigilant about trying to combat the marketing efforts and try to patiently teach her to make the right decisions.

This gets harder and harder every day, because of the power of the information and specific target marketing. Kids may get so enamored with products, faces, music bands, television shows and images, that when we as parents say no, we are viewed as "the bad guys". Of course, this has always been the case to a degree, but the power of big business and the way they use our information today is making it harder and harder and harder. They are getting better at it, and have seemingly endless resources to use for that purpose (oh - say a billion+ dollars at a shot).

Of course, I have control - for now. But what I really worry about is that at some point the decisions she makes will not have to be filtered through me. She has been trained by outside influences literally since she was a baby.

Some may not care, but I have heard statistics that say McDonalds gets an average of 8-10 marketing shots at a child every day. Personally, I think Disney gets more. At some point, the cumulative effect becomes a lot to overcome. Now, if they know EXACTLY what buttons to push not only for the average child, but each one individually, what is that effect?

There's a great documentary available for free watching in managable chapters that clearly demonstrates why I take a cautious approach to anything like this. With over a million views, it is really a great movie.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFA50FBC214A6CE87

 

[parkhopping]

The issue here is not whether or not you have a choice to use this technology. It's about Disney being open and honest about what information they will be collecting so that you can make an informed decision. Of course you have a choice - and like PP said, you can choose not to fly, drive a car, use a credit card etc. But those things still need to be regulated and companies need to let you know what consequences your choices have. This is no different.

Personally, I have no problem with Disney knowing my habits whilst in the park for promotional purposes. I think it will actually work to my advantage in the long run. This will allow Disney to have a much more accurate picture of their guests' preferences, and will hopefully lead to new developments that will actually interest me.

 

[Hunclemarco]

wrote needless info.... so i deleted

 

[xbonnie38]

Yeah, hate to say it, but a few of us have expressed this same concern... It would be nice if this made the news... It's time to wake up the little lambs - Off to slaughter...

Finally someone who thinks like me, I was just saying this same thing to my DH, just because its new shiny technology that makes life easier and more of a personal experience doesnt mean its all hunky dorey just because its Disney doing it. Personally I am glad he wrote this letter and the answers should be made public. We are not comfortable with wearing or using these and will opt out. If I wanted someone tracking my every move while I was on vacation I wouldnt go on vacation I would stay at work. I had to laugh my husband just said its like they are fitting people with GPS, or like the ankle bracelets the criminals wear while on house arrest. LOL ....Im sure I will be slammed on here for telling that one!

 

[Planogirl]

I'm glad that someone is pursuing this. I'd also rather know what information they plan to accrue.

 

[finedice]

Ah.. first response:

"In an emailed statement, Angela Bliss, a Disney spokeswoman, emphasized that the MyMagic+ program is completely optional.

"guests control whether their personal information is used for promotional purposes and no data collected is ever used to market to children"

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-v...an-to-track-kids-with-bracelets#ixzz2IvzNMtjt

This is equal to the most ridiculous and obvious farce of a statement I have ever read. Disney does not use market data to market to children? Really?

 

[bytheblood]

Okay, I think I will delete my post and bite my tongue instead.

 

[Bearybear]

My main concern with the magic band is what he lists in #2. Will they track geolocation? And if so, is it only within the Disney resort area? Since guests are taking the bands home with them, that is what concerns me most. Maybe I don't understand them as well as some here, but ever since it was announced, I wondered about that.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Every company there that has any information of yours is required to send you a yearly brochure on their privacy policy, how they use the information they have on you. You can opt out of them selling your information and using it in a way you don't approve. If you don't think Disney already knows a whole bunch about you, I have a nice bridge that I can sell you.

Plus, how many of you use Facebook? Facebook probably uses your information in more ways than Disney does right now.

 

[Sammie]

As an aside, I used to wait on Markey regularly (1-2 times per month) at a restaurant in DC many years ago. He always ordered the same thing, he always complained about something, and he always was generally a huge jerk.

That does not surprise me at all. As to the letter I am all for public disclosure, but then shouldn't that work both ways.

 

[smitch425]

My main concern with the magic band is what he lists in #2. Will they track geolocation? And if so, is it only within the Disney resort area? Since guests are taking the bands home with them, that is what concerns me most. Maybe I don't understand them as well as some here, but ever since it was announced, I wondered about that.

As far as I know, they are not equipped with GPS technology. They would need to be scanned by something (only on property because I'm sure it would be illegal to put scanners offsite) in order for Disney to get any info. There is no way they could track you when you go home.

 

[Sammie]

Every company there that has any information of yours is required to send you a yearly brochure on their privacy policy, how they use the information they have on you. You can opt out of them selling your information and using it in a way you don't approve. If you don't think Disney already knows a whole bunch about you, I have a nice bridge that I can sell you.

Plus, how many of you use Facebook? Facebook probably uses your information in more ways than Disney does right now.

For that matter we are all tracked every time we sign in, even here. Hence the personalized ads.

 

[Halbleib1]

Along with finding out what info. disney is going to be collecting the govt. might also be concerned with the frequency that they will be using and making sure that they are in compliance. Thus the question of how they will be used and if it is only to be used on property.

I don't know that much about how the whole frequency thing works but I do know that at any time the govt. can decide that they need the frequency and you are out of luck.

A few years ago here in my area people lost the frequency that their garage door openers worked off of because the govt. took it over. If they wanted a garage door opener they had to go out and buy a new one that worked off of a different frequency.

 

[Kaspar Houser]

Every company there that has any information of yours is required to send you a yearly brochure on their privacy policy, how they use the information they have on you. You can opt out of them selling your information and using it in a way you don't approve. If you don't think Disney already knows a whole bunch about you, I have a nice bridge that I can sell you.

Plus, how many of you use Facebook? Facebook probably uses your information in more ways than Disney does right now.

What about a cell phone? It keeps track of us 24 hours a day and the information is stored.
O and lets talk about the navigation systems in our cars. They, as soon as you move, keep track of you and EVERY renting car had a tracking chip. They can follow you into Russia if needed.

 

[maxiesmom]

What about a cell phone? It keeps track of us 24 hours a day and the information is stored.
O and lets talk about the navigation systems in our cars. They, as soon as you move, keep track of you and EVERY renting car had a tracking chip. They can follow you into Russia if needed.

Yup. Rather funny that people use cars with GPS, use their cell phone, or sign on-line and are blissfully unaware of how much data they are giving out. But Disney wants to track you in their parks and Whoa Nelly!

Seems pretty silly.