After just browsing around on articles about Disney, I came across one that was very curious to me. It was about the 10-day tickets or any multi-day pass at Disney Theme Parks and how they keep from the person reselling the ticket. (The original article can be seen here) I found out that it is done from scanning a person's finger. Disney does this to ensure the same ticket holder is using the reduced price ticket.
However is this infringing of their rights? I think most people would probably say yes, because that was my original feeling. But after learning more about the system, I found that it was not really taking a fingerprint but more matching points of the finger to a number to ensure the same person was using the ticket and also the data would be disposed of after 30 days when the ticket expires. Understanding this shows that Disney is just making sure that people are not cheating the system by reselling their tickets. Now, though Disney is not taking a fingerprint they do have technology of this recognition software that the government is interested in for homeland security. I think that it is crazy that a company that makes kids toys and entertainment has this kind of technology. So I ask you, do you think Disney should be able to use this advanced technology in their themeparks? Or do you think this technology should even be allowed to be used anywhere?
When I was a kid I was also marveled at Disney and especially Disneyland. But Disney like all other corporations of the world is out for one thing: money. This fingerprint scanning technology that they implemented allows them to do exactly that (make money). When Disneyland is selling you a pass it is basically selling you a product. If in the fine print it states that the product is non-tranferable then Disney has all the rights to enforce that. As for this technology being allowed to be used anywhere, would you ban signatures?
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see what Disney is trying to do here. The technology is non intrusive and would have near perfect accuracy to identify legitimate customers. The secondary market created by selling these tickets is detrimental to both Disney and customers.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I wasn't completely clear on is when the first acquire the fingerprint. It mentions this is really only useful for multiday passes, so I'm guessing it's the first time the ticket is actually used to enter the park. This would prevent someone from buying a multiday pass as a cheaper per day cost, then sell it to someone else to recoup the cost, harming Disney's profits. Is that how it works?
Personally, I have no problem with this technology, if, like you say, just links your fingerprint with your ticket and not really your identity or anything of that nature. It's just their way of keeping track of these multi-day passes. Another plus of this system that I see is that if you don't have to worry about losing your ticket or something like that because you can just use your fingerprint. Now, I have never personally been to Disneyland or World, so I don't know if there are physical tickets for these multi-day passes, but if there are, this would be pretty helpful for those of us that are prone to losing everything...
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the idea of this technology. As you said in the post, it is more of a verification tool than anything. It they were matching our prints to a database with our information in it, that would get more heat from, well everyone. It is a little concerning that this is where this kind of technology could go. What if they start using it to make sure pedophiles don't enter the park? I'm sure some people would be all for that, but then where do you draw the line?
ReplyDeleteCarlos, I think I see where you are going with the signature and that is very true, that all it is matching up is a finger"signature" print to a ticket. I think if it was explained that way less people might freak out about the idea
ReplyDeleteCarl, Yes that is exactly what the idea of the fingerprint scanner is to stop for example a one day cost is $74 on the Disney website and the 2-day is $73 and it keeps going down like the 7-day is only $32 so if Disney can just keep everyone attached to a ticket then hopefully as you said it might be better for Disney and its customers to keep the price down.
Nicholas, Unfortunately I don't believe that you can just use your fingerprint to get into the park at the gate. So I guess this technology does not help the customer that misplaces things often.
Michelle, I completely agree with the pedophile idea and Disney is a place where a lot of kids hang out. But they did say that people are able to get around the finger scanner by showing an ID but I mean if it is for safety why not.
Hmmm. I guess I"m the only one a little bothered by it, but not in this particular instance necessarily--more from a philosophical standpoint. I'm worried about the direction we're headed in as a society when it comes to biometrics and related technologies--we are regulated, observed, monitored, and tracked endlessly. And while younger people have grown up with this and it feels normal, for me it feels fairly big-brotherish.
ReplyDeleteNot that I wouldn't go to Disneyland because of this. I just think when these things happen slowly, and their ubiquitous, we tend to forget quickly about what liberties/freedoms we used to have and just get more and more used to being monitored.
I sound old.
I personally do not have any issue with the finger print scanner. Where does Disney get the fingerprint of the owner of the pass in the first place? Do they have them scan their finger when they buy the pass?
ReplyDeletedreamhelmet,
ReplyDeleteI understand that when you use the hopper pass on the first day it will match your fingerprint to the ticket so up until the first use, there is no fingerprint in the system.
Remember that Disney has in its software to change the software with just a mouse click (no pun intended) to scan the fingerprint and not keep just the numbers it currently does. Remember that the government can just ask Disney for the information without a search warrant. Then the government will have your fingerprints for life without obtaining a warrant. That is big brother at it's worse.
ReplyDelete