Disney wants your finger prints - NO THANKS!!!

[file83]

For years, Walt Disney World has been reading the shape of visitors' fingers on its property. Now, the upgraded controversial finger scanning machines scan fingerprint information.

(snip)

Disney representatives said the technology does not store the entire fingerprint image and scanned information is purged in 30 days.

"We are not collecting fingerprints," Disney representative Kim Prunty said. "We are not collecting personal information. The sole purpose is to create a numerical value that links out guest with their Magic Your Way tickets.

(snip)

"They're collecting fingerprints," Central Florida ACLU President George Crossley said. "They're taking fingerprints. They can call it whatever they want. They're taking fingerprints. Everything that chips away at personal rights, anything that chips away at the right to privacy, I'll always be concerned about."

(snip)

"If Uncle Sam decides to hit Walt Disney with a subpoena because they want those records, what is Walt Disney going to do?" Crossley said. "They're going to provide the records right?"

read more...

It's called incrementalism and it starts with the corporations. First Disney started out with a technology that only checked the shape of their customers fingers. Then once that was "accepted", they "upgraded" the process to scan finger prints. Disney says they don't keep that info, but we ALL know that while that may be true now (I doubt it), in a couple years, once all the controversy has boiled over, they will start KEEPING the finger print data. Not long after that, with some secret order from Homeland Security, Disney will turn over all the finger print data they have as it matches up to names, credit cards, etc... all for the good fight of the War on Terror.

Once enough corporations are doing this finger print scanning (many grocery stores have already started doing it) and the population has "accepted" this infringment upon our rights, it's only a matter of time before our government makes it a requirement for voting, working, flying, driving, paying for anything...

Then what after that?

Just be aware of it and reject these incremental steps at every stage.

[nosillies]

1. I'm too lazy to retype, so see previous posts

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2028815

Slow news day in central Florida.

[file83]

4. Well darn it, I did a search for this article, but nothing came up.

I searched "Disney finger print" and "disney finger prints" but nothing came up.

Sounds like the DU's search engine could use a little elbow grease.

Thanks for the heads up.

[nosillies]

9. Happens to me ALL the time

:D

[kurth]

2. "We are not collecting personal information"

Yeah, right.

[truebrit71]

3. If they don't store it what gets purged after 30 days?

Think about it, the statement is illogical. If they didn't store it, there wouldn't be anything to purge 30 days later...

Bottom line, these guys are fucking lying to you.

The grocery store finger-scan thing is fairly new out here in Chicagoland and I steadfastly refuse to entertain the idea....And I would refuse to give the mouse my prints as well...

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. That is exactly what jumped out at me.

Don't insult my intelligence. Agh!

[AndyA]

5. Disney is getting too big for their britches. I remember at one point

they didn't even have a toll free number for customers to call to make inquiries, reservations, etc. I've heard that they now do have toll free numbers. I'm not a big Disney fan, so I will never have to use this, but I do see where it could grow into something bigger if more companies get the idea that this is the way to go.

What's wrong with people having tickets, or daily/weekly passes? Used to work just fine in plenty of places.

[nosillies]

8. They do use tickets. They just don't allow ticket transfers.

Just as airlines won't let your friend fly on your ticket. And you can provide Disney a photo ID if you don't want the scan done.

[nosillies]

7. Look, I give to the ACLU

But they, and anyone else who complains about this system, needs to prove that it collects fingerprints, not biometric scans. Get a machine. Show what they really do. They're not proprietary. And Disney has never claimed not to store info -- they're storing a number, not a fingerprint.

Let's see: repugs run around spreading unsubstantiated stories that are sensational and designed to cause fear. This fear causes more spreading rumors, makes people suspicious of the wrong things, harbors hatred of others, and allows the uninformed populace to be controlled easily.

Why is it OK to use these repug tactics?

If the facts show that Disney is lying, I'll be among the first to take action. But I like to deal in facts.

[VelmaD]

10. The question you need to ask yourself...

is why the fuck does Disney need to scan anything to let you in to ride a fucking roller-coaster?

[nosillies]

12. They don't need to scan. You may provide a photo ID.

The scan/ID production is only so that you may not transfer a ticket. Valid business practice.
Airlines don't allow ticket transfers.

Again, facts help.

[VelmaD]

13. And do we not see a substantive difference...

between transferring an airline ticket and going to an amusement park?

And yet somehow my nephew and I managed to go to Sea World in San Antonio this summer without having to show ID or have a full body cavity search.

[nosillies]

14. Sea World in Florida also requires a biometric scan

I go there regularly, also. Should we have a Sea World Orlando bashing thread started, then?

And non-transferable promotions/tickets affect more industries than just theme parks and airlines. You quite often find non-transferable promotions for free stays at casino hotels, for example. And no, there is no substantive difference between casinos and amusement parks.

[VelmaD]

15. I did not ask if there's not difference...

between casinos and amusement parks. I asked if there's no difference between air travel and amusement parks.

My point is there are ways to ensure people don't transfer tickets that don't involve the potential invasion of privacy inherent in biometric scans. I remember the good old days when if you wanted to leave the amusement park and get back in they just stamped your hand (usually with some sort of luminescent ink) instead of fingerprinting you.

It just serves to make us all more willing to let the next little invasion of privacy happen...and the next...and the next. The amusement park doesn't need my fingerprints. The grocery store doesn't need my fingerprints. Unless I'm convicted of a serious crime NO ONE needs my fingerprints, retina scan, or DNA.

[nosillies]

18. Again THEY DON'T NEED YOUR FINGERPRINT

They need ID confirmation. And woodsprite explained why with the costs. They also want to protect customers from counterfeit or invalid tickets. My annual pass cost around $500. Thank goodness it is absolutely worthless if stolen, thanks to ID confirmaiton at the gates.

And until someone proves otherwise, THEY ARE NOT TAKING A FINGERPRINT. They are taking a biometric scan that is not unique by any means.

[VelmaD]

19. Oh yeah...they're protecting me...

I feel better already. :eyes:

In a day and age where corporations have proven repeatedly that they cannot be trusted to collect and safeguard personal info I find your level of faith in Disney astounding.

And I find it much less likely that they are protecting you than that they are concerned with you selling your ticket to someone else and them not pocketing that money.

Re-read the article...it says the new upgraded machine are collecting fingerprint information. Yes it says it's converting it into some sort of numerical value...but if that value wasn't unique then the system would be useless for ensuring identity of the ticket holder.

[nosillies]

20. No....

Local 6 says the machine scans fingerprints. Disney says it does not.

Disney representatives said the technology does not store the entire fingerprint image

Local 6 has never been a bastion of truthful, objective, non-sensationalist journalism. They are often borderline Fox-ish in their tactics to draw in viewers.

And who cares if they're protecting their bottom line as much as they are mine? Last time I checked, I thought businesses were allowed to make money and work to reduce fraud.

And I choose to patronize Disney because I am not so self-righteous that I would deny my child one of his greatest joys. I choose to temper my activism with realism in all that I do. I choose to trust those I do business with or individuals I encounter until it is proved that I cannot trust them. Otherwise, I would have to cower in my house, counting the cash under the mattress, afraid to answer my phone (oh, that's right, I wouldn't have a phone, because those telcom companies are all scary and dishonest), praying that the boogeyman wasn't coming to get me.

edit: spelling

[derby378]

44. I'm with VelmaD on this one

It's all about control and surveillance. Our new national motto is "Trust no one."

Our society cannot survive for very long with all of this paranoia accumulating across the nation and eroding our collective psyche. We're Americans, for God's sake - we need to stand up on our hind legs and take the freedoms that are rightfully ours.

[nosillies]

49. But isn't it paranoid to assume that Disney is out to get you?

[davekriss]

51. No offense, but the crass commercialism...

...and (not-so-cheap) thrills of Disney were never amongst my children's "greatest joys".

[nosillies]

52. Good for you

You may rest safe in the knowledge that you are far superior to me and my family

[davekriss]

53. Thank you

Of course, mine was a stupid remark last night (we're just not a fan of Disney over here -- I've been churning out good little non-consumerist, anarcho-syndicalists here, but if they ever rebel from their parents I guess that means they could turn conservative Republican!).

[nosillies]

54. Most parents fear piercings and dyed hair

We fear business suits and sweater sets! :D

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. I think I am more stunned

that anyone would spend $500 to go to DisneyWorld all year than I am that they are doing this biometric scan (but yes, that is pretty creepy).

[nosillies]

39. We also torture kittens, make prank calls at 3AM, vandalize cars,

sometimes forget to turn the lights off when we leave the house, wear dirty clothes we wore the day before, eat fast food, don't buy organic milk, take snakes on planes, pull fire alarms in public places, kidnap homeless people, and WE HAVE EVEN BEEN KNOWN TO BUY THINGS AT WAL-MART.

I guess I'll have to make peace with the fact that we are scum.

[proud2BlibKansan]

47. Remind me to stay out of Florida

LOL

[woodsprite]

16. When the amusement park tickets come at the price of $400+

for some of the Magic Your Way tickets - that's when it starts equalling airfare losses when things are transferred or misused. It also means that if you lose your ticket, someone else can't use it. They were having a problem with people selling unusued portions of their tickets. Mealplans (3 meals plus snacks) go on the magnetic strips now also.

I still don't like it. They did the 2 finger shape scan when we were down there last year. We didn't do it. We were hoping to go back in 4 years, before our son qualified as an "adult" price. Maybe we'll pick someplace else now.

[VelmaD]

17. I suppose what I don't understand..

is why it matters if you transfer the unused part of a ticket. If you paid for 3 meals does it really matter who eats them?

And as for the airplane analogy I was not refering to the price. We're supposedly so worried about airplane security and yet we do not currently fiingerprint passengers...but we fingerprint people going to Disney World? It just sounds ridiculous on it's face.

[dogday]

23. Astroworld used to just take a picture

and put it on your pass.. That way only you and you alone could ever use your pass..... Less intrusive and does the job... Why they need a fingerprint scan, I don't know, a picture does the same thing....

[jayctravis]

43. These are for annual passes...

You're not *supposed* to transfer multi-day passes, but I've not had a problem using a family member's with the same name that was left over.

They don't bioscan or (I assume) fingerprint for regular tickets.

[sofa king]

11. I wonder how many scans turn up as fingernails?

As in middle fingernails, 'cause that's what I'm going to show 'em.

[chaska]

21. Just where (and when) do we draw the fuckin' line?

Regardless of whether they collect fingerprints or not, this is bad shit. Can you, at the very least, say 'slippery slope'?

[MrSlayer]

22. Just got back from there, Universal does it too.

The government already has your fingerprints so I don't know what the big deal is. I'm just not seeing how this is a violation of rights or a dangerous slippery slope.

[RandiFan1290]

27. I've never had my prints taken.

How does the government have mine?

[MrSlayer]

30. Everyone had to give theirs in school when I went.

I thought it was the same everywhere in the country. My fault for assuming I suppose. I have no problem with the finger scan at the gates of the parks.

[nosillies]

33. Yeah, I've had to be fingerprinted for most every job I've had

No life of crime for me.

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. How old are you?

I have been teaching in a public school for nearly 30 years and I have NEVER heard of fingerprinting all the students. Where did you go to school?

[MrSlayer]

40. I'm 36.

I went to school in Philadelphia, where I was born and raised and still reside. I didn't go to public school though, I went to catholic.

[MaineDem]

41. I'm about 20 years older than you

And I was never fingerprinted.

I went to parochial school too.

[MrSlayer]

42. I guess it was just a local thing then.

We all had to do it here. :shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. That's creepy

You are old enough to have been my student. It must have been a PA thing. I have never heard of a school fingerprinting kids.

[MaineDem]

28. No one has my prints.

Unless they took them while I was sleeping.

[MrSlayer]

29. We had to give ours in school.

In grade school and high school. I figured everyone else did too. Either way the scanner at Disney is no big deal.

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. The government doesn't have my fingerprints

since I have never been fingerprinted.

[SutaUvaca]

24. A different question occurs..

Just how much precious profit does Disney lose due to the dreaded ticket transferring amusmenterrahists?

[MrSlayer]

31. Enough that they would implement this plan.

I don't blame them for it. The costs of upkeep for the Disney World resort are enormous. The place is huge.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

32. About 80 bucks a pop.

[Rosemary2205]

25. I'm thinking they keep it for at least a year.

Annual passes require fingerprints too I think.

[LiberalEsto]

26. I'll wear white Mickey Mouse gloves

if I ever go there again...

[dollydew]

37. Disney Biometrics

Resistance is futile. You have been assimilated. It is the year of our Lord Ford. We have always been at war with Eastasia. Produce, comply, you are happy. It means nothing. Biometrics, Shimometrics. That's not finger prints. Your information will be erased after thirty days in the same way you will be taken off of the no-fly list. Big Brother is always right. Your rights are not being violated. Forget FISA. Forget no-bid contracts. It's for your own good. Please wait your turn in line. All who disagree and disturb the order will re-educated. You have been warned. Take your Soma. Have a nice day.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

38. Ehhhh, Doesn't Bother Me. My Fingerprints Are In Several Files Already LOL

[Jim Warren]

45. Kind 'ol Walt.......... Mickey and Minny too

Bullshit!
Disney Inc. has always lead the right-wing fascist charge. I'm old enough to remember being denied admittance to Anaheim in the late '60s for having long hair.

[Irreverend IX]

48. Disney is profoundly totalitarian. Always has been. nt

[CollegeDUer]

50. My state representative

A moderate Republican, he actually told me once when he went with his family he asked to get around this system and they let him. He's serious about civil liberties -- an old style guy who still believes in liberty (not so far as prochoice but I'm in Georgia what do you expect :p )>