Congress Questions Next Gen

[unkadug]

You do know the 2 billion was spent in many different facets? That includes basic software upgrade, some structural upgrade, cosmetic upgrades...or do you think that the 2 billion was all on RFID chips?

Sure I realize that. I also realize that the money could have been more wisely applied than this whole fiasco.

 

[Wanderingman]

What's potentially illegal about you telling Disney how old your child is if you agree to their terms of privacy? Nothing. Where is it federally mandated that you have to go to Disney? Nowhere. Are you picking up what I'm putting down? It's not your right to tell a privately held company how they operate, it's a privilege that they allow you to go there and play by their rules. If you don't believe me, ask Adam the Woo.

I wonder if you will now be called a corporate plant because you have a different opinion than the others.

 

[unkadug]

I wonder if you will now be called a corporate plant because you have a different opinion than the others.

The lady doth protest too much

 

[danlb_2000]

I think the thing here is are the terms and all of its impications specifically spelled out.

This is a key point. Even if people agree to get the magic bands they might not know exactly what they are agreeing to. There are ways companies can cover themselves legally, but still make if hard to the customer to truly understand what they are signing up for. Look at Facebook for example. Why do you think the privacy controls have been so complicated? Because it's not to Facebook's advantage for you to keep your information private, so they want to give the appearance that you can control your privacy, but in the end a lot of people won't understand it and will get the settings wrong. When companies introduce new things like this it never hurts to let them know that people are watching and questioning what they are up to.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Then why has the federal government done nothing about the birthday pins? The KTTW cards? The Biometrics?

You serious? Do birthday pins data mine? Last I checked the name had to be written on the pin, not added into a computer data mining a child, under the age of 13... Which is exactly what this NextGen is going to do... and why it is being questioned by a Congressman...

 

[danlb_2000]

That is fine, but the way some people are talking it is like they know for a FACT certain things are happening. And as of right now everything that is on the RFID chip in the magic band is also on the KTTW

The issue is not what is on the physical RFID chip, it's what is being collected in the background and how it will be used. The band allows them to collect a lot more information about your visit the then KTTW card could, and without you knowing it.

 

[unkadug]

And with that I am done conversing with a person who thinks anyone who disagrees with you is a corporate plant.

Not anyone...just you.

I don't think Rose&Crown is a corporate plant.

Just you.

 

[Rose&Crowner]

Not anyone...just you.

I don't think Rose&Crown is a corporate plant.

Just you.

I'm a corporate mineral.

 

[Rose&Crowner]

Disney is forcing this tracking upon people who have no idea that this is even happening to them.

I know. It's all a big secret. You've been going long enough to not recognize that something is new. You're lucky they didn't decide to brand your forehead after saying Welcome Home.

 

[Monty]

The issue is not what is on the physical RFID chip, it's what is being collected in the background and how it will be used. The band allows them to collect a lot more information about your visit the then KTTW card could, and without you knowing it.

I would argue that the sole distinction is the scope, not the substance of what is being databased.

Disney currently [and has for many years] databases all of the "private" information everyone seems so upset about and all "without you knowing it" if you haven't been paying any attention. They have your children's names and ages, your credit card information, your home address and phone number and lots of information on where and what you eat while on property and what souvenirs you buy [with the exception of what you pay for in cash and that doesn't appear to change with the introduction of RFID technology]. The only change the RFID technology brings is heightened granularity and broader scope to that data. With that increased granularity of data, there are things they can do for/to you on a more focused basis that may or may not be palatable to some.

But the fact remains, they already have and use all the same information.

 

[ParentsOf4]

But the fact remains, they already have and use all the same information.

They spent $1-to-2 Billion so they can collect and cross-reference information they already have? Who's being naive?

 

[Monty]

They spent $1-2 Billion so they can collect and cross-reference information they already have? Who's being naive?

Tell me what they will collect that they don't already have at some level.

Not naive at all.

 

[david10225]

Not looking to get flamed here, but I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach that Disney social media has decided to take the offensive on the various boards such as these.

 

[dcibrando]

phone, pcs, Facebook, google, and the government track all of us WAY more then little RFID chips will in a wristband AT Disney - and Disney will probably be more upfront about it then any of the others

 

[GrumpyFan]

The naysayers and apparently, "non-corporate" types here, seem to want to bring up COPPA a lot, so let's just take a look at what it says instead of making a bunch of factless claims about it. I snapped the following from: http://www.coppa.org/comply.htm just in case anybody wants to go read it for themselves.

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and Rule apply to individually identifiable information about a child that is collected online, such as full name, home address, email address, telephone number or any other information that would allow someone to identify or contact the child. The Act and Rule also cover other types of information -- for example, hobbies, interests and information collected through cookies or other types of tracking mechanisms -- when they are tied to individually identifiable information.​

​

So, according to COPPA, the following individual information is considered off-limits:

• Child's full name
• Child's home address
• Child's telephone number
• Child's email address
• Any other information that would allow someone to identify or contact the child

Notice, I under-lined the full part of the name, which means it's perfectly acceptable to ask for and usethe child's first name, middle name, or even a nickname, just as long as they don't ask for and KEEP the full name or any other relevant information that would allow someone to contact or identify said child.

Did you notice that Birthday is NOT on that list? Which means, if they only collected the child's first name and birthday, they would still be within the bounds of the COPPA guidelines.

You should notice too, that there are allowed exceptions to this as well where they can collect more information and use it for certain means by which they could contact the child in the future, if they choose to do so:

The regulations include several exceptions that allow operators to collect a child's email address without getting the parent's consent in advance. These exceptions cover many popular online activities for kids, including contests , online newsletters , homework help and electronic postcards . ​

As I understand it, COPPA, for now, only applies to Online web site operators. However, I'm sure congressman Markey will be working on a new bill or revisions to this to spread it beyond that, which I'm okay with, really. But, keep in mind, none of this applies to any of what Disney has or is doing at the moment in regards to the MagicBand, NextGen or previous collection of personal information for children. Everything they have done in the past, and even everything I've seen that they plan to do in the future, should comply with this act that doesn't even apply to what they are doing.

Even IF COPPA were expanded to apply here, it's a pretty simple process for Disney to comply. All they would have to do is set up the databases to only store the allowed information, and even set it to expire on the guests last day, if the parents choose.

 

[Dwarful]

I think it is very interesting, I'll be interested in the answers as well. As others have said...more so for the fact if I select to opt out...what impact will that have on my vacation. I am not saying when it is fully up and running that we will opt in or opt out...at this point its too early for me to say.

 

[Rose&Crowner]

Government who tracks unknowing citizens whereabouts with GPS units attached to their cars raising issues with MyMagic+ is beyond ironic BTW.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...-his-car-due-to-reddit-comment-sues-fbi.shtml

Can we let it die now? If you don't want to go, please don't. It will free up more space mountain ressies for me.

 

[unkadug]

Government who tracks unknowing citizens whereabouts with GPS units attached to their cars raising issues with MyMagic+ is beyond ironic BTW.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...-his-car-due-to-reddit-comment-sues-fbi.shtml

Can we let it die now? If you don't want to go, please don't. It will free up more space mountain ressies for me.

It won't die until TWDC answers the question posed by the Congressman.And even then I bet we will see some changes in this ill conceived concept.

 

[danlb_2000]

I would argue that the sole distinction is the scope, not the substance of what is being databased.

Disney currently [and has for many years] databases all of the "private" information everyone seems so upset about and all "without you knowing it" if you haven't been paying any attention. They have your children's names and ages, your credit card information, your home address and phone number and lots of information on where and what you eat while on property and what souvenirs you buy [with the exception of what you pay for in cash and that doesn't appear to change with the introduction of RFID technology]. The only change the RFID technology brings is heightened granularity and broader scope to that data. With that increased granularity of data, there are things they can do for/to you on a more focused basis that may or may not be palatable to some.

But the fact remains, they already have and use all the same information.

Yes, you are right the data is the same, but the perception of the technology is different. With your KTTW card you know when you were using it so you know when Disney was "tracking you". I think the fear of the bracelet comes from the fact that it is always on and you don't know when it's being actively tracked. I think that different scares some people. I am not try to condemn nor defend the magic bands, just trying to show why some people might have a problem with them over what is being done now.

 

[rioriz]

Or maybe Universal will continue to build new top-notch attractions that allow it to make tremendous attendance gains while WDW's attendance declines as it has for 2 out of the last 3 years.

NextGen has cost $1.5B and, so far, has caused Iger & co. a lot of headaches while Disney's $450M investment in the "New" Fantasyland is not exactly packing them in.

Let's not forget that WWOHP, Rip Ride Rockit, Despicable Me, Simpsons, Transformers, and WWOHP2 combined cost significantly less than NextGen. Universal attendance has never been higher, with IOA increasing over 65% since the opening of WWOHP.

I want WDW to do well but recognize that Universal has been investing its money much more intelligently than TDO lately.

And I hope they do as a Uni passholder! The fact of the matter is we are talking about the band itself. Not rides or what else they could spend money on.

This is where people are getting emotional because o what thy could of spent their money on. But they didn't so that's out of the question. Debated alone, the bands will be successful in the end and I stand by that Uni will use them in the future.

FP+ I am still out on...

Also has anyone thought that this 2 billion investment is for Disney Parks as a whole. Not just WDW? So when broken down between the parks the money is not as large per park. Still a helluva lot of money that could go to attractions.

Not a corporate plant