Congress Questions Next Gen

[Joseph Robinson]

Is it misleading if Disney says "Give us your home address so we can mail you your tickets and a welcome packet!" but they really want to track your hometown and other socioeconomic data?

The only way that you don't understand that they keep that data and use it is if you are completely uneducated. Again, that is an entirely different conversation; but if you want to keep spouting the same points I'll continue to repeat mine.

More important to the issue involving children, is it misleading for Disney to say "Give us your kids name and age so Cinderella can wish them a happy birthday!" and not mention that they will be documenting what stores your 6-year-old girl from Atlanta spends the most time in and what toys and food you buy for her?

1. See above.
2. Prove that this is the only reason that they ask for this, and that their privacy policy does not say what they will do. Otherwise you're pulling pseudo-arguments out of your rear end.

Do you really think that Disney's legal team hasn't covered their rear ends? That you (and those on the forum that share your opinion) have stumbled upon some conspiracy that Disney wasn't smart enough to cover up? It's laughable, really. You think Disney is evil enough to mislead and track you; but not smart enough to make sure that you don't figure it out.

Beam me up, Scotty.

We all know Disney didn't spend $2 billion so characters could greet kids by name. So why mislead visitors into thinking that's the reason why they should hand over data without explaining how the company benefits?

 

[Maerj]

Federal government has far more restrictions on what data it can keep and share. I am a thousand time more concerned about the data companies keep and sell about me than anything the government has on me. It takes a lot of time to opt-out of all that corporate data sharing. I've seen both a government security check on me and a report gathered from corporate data that is available for sale. The corporate report had far more detail than I thought was out there. It really opened my eye to doing the opt-outs on those annual privacy notices no matter how much of a pain they are.

Hehe, you'd be surprised at the levels of data mining the gov is doing right now on it's citizens.

 

[Shadowgate]

So far the only story on this I am finding via search is:

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/markey-not-seeing-magic-disney-magicband-146748

Stike that more are starting to pop up:

http://www.wesh.com/themeparks/disn...8268138/-/15hd8djz/-/index.html?absolute=true

 

[Darth Sidious]

The real question is about COPPA compliance. There are certain things you can't do with data collection in relation to a child. This was pointed out by @Lil Fort @Lee and @WDW1974 well before the government stepped in.

Whether or not Disney found their loophole is to be seen.

 

[GrumpyFan]

An unidentified Disney spokesperson has apparently responded:

A Disney spokesperson released the following statement: "MyMagic+ is a completely optional program. Disney’s privacy policies and practices are fully transparent and guests can choose whether or not to participate in MyMagic+. In addition, guests control whether their personal information is used for promotional purposes and no data collected is ever used to market to children. MyMagic+ is designed to make a visit to Walt Disney World more personalized, seamless and customized than ever before.

http://www.wesh.com/themeparks/disn...8268138/-/15hd8djz/-/index.html?absolute=true

 

[GrumpyFan]

For those who are concerned with Disney "tracking" your every move, what is it that you're doing there that you don't want them watching you? Sure, I understand maybe you dont want them watching you go to the bathroom, but do you really think that's what they are going to do? If they did, I can't see that it would be for anything nefarious, they probably just would want to figure out why you and so many others chose that particular restroom, over another maybe, or if they needed to build more restrooms. I'm being somewhat facetious about this, but I'm serious in my question of what could they possibly do with your tracking information that would be of profit to them and invasive of you?

 

[WDW1974]

The real question is about COPPA compliance. There are certain things you can't do with data collection in relation to a child. This was pointed out by @Lil Fort @Lee and @WDW1974 well before the government stepped in.

Whether or not Disney found their loophole is to be seen.

Yes. It was.

And it was (and is) a huge concern to Disney. I broke that news through a high level source on my Spirited Observations thread ... it's all been whether Disney will be able to slime their way into a loophole that will allow them to track and datamine children (and, yes, that is what they are trying to do ... ignorant comments on tinfoil hats nonwithstanding) as well as adults.

I think Disney just suffered a HUGE blow today. And a well-deserved one. But I am discussing that already on my thread and I don't feel like keeping track of multiple discussions on the same topic. I placed my info out and am discussing over there. Hoping it's a great discussion.

 

[bethymouse]

Invasion of privacy is a serious issue. I'm just not sure that these "bracelets" are that intrusive. Disney is always trying something new: keeping up w/ the new technology ( just as Walt would want). It remains to be seen what will happen, but hopefully it'll all be straightened out by 2014 when we go back again!

 

[rioriz]

Stop making sense, it's simply not allowed!

YES! Logic is not allowed on this board

 

[steve2wdw]

Markey is rather famous for crusading about various things to do with amusement/theme parks. Usually, he's worried about the lack of Federal oversight for park safety. This is just more of the same, and he rarely if ever gets traction with any of the committees on which he serves with these issues. He can write all the letters he wants (and I suspect general counsel will provide some sort of content-free response) but unless and until a committee takes up the charge, that's the end of that.

If he's usually worried about park safety, he actually ought to love the MyMagic+ initiative, since it seems to have eaten up dollars that otherwise would have added actual rides to the parks.

 

[rioriz]

The privacy issue may be a catalyst, but still the worst thing about mymagic+ is FP+

 

[PUSH]

Some interesting questions there, and I'll be intrigued by some of the answers. My guess is that the Disney lawyers have a realistic answer for each and every question.

 

[AVPTI]

People gotta realize that this whole data mining is already happening.

Google tracks history to customize advertisements to what you like. Facebook knows what websites are open in other tabs on your browser to customize your advertisements. Smartphones track location. iPhone/iPads with Siri record everything you ask it.

It's 2013...privacy is now a thing of the past.

 

[steve2wdw]

Besides all the privacy issues everyone is discussing, the one additional sound byte that every media outlet will pick up on will be the difference in experience as to whether you opt in or not. As of now, we all expect that that answer is a "diminished experience" as a previous poster put it. I can't imagine that Disney wanted their message to be "give up your privacy and get better service", but it looks like that's what their going to end up with. It will definately turn into a PR disaster, especially when a few miles up I-4, Universal has just started one of the best ad campaigns I've seen from them in a long time (they're running some great ads in the Northeast-I assume they're running everywhere). I can see their future ads now...."Awesome rides-No bracelet needed!"

 

[awoogala]

I have asked this question multiple places and people seem to not know the answer or purposefully disregard it and choose not to answer it. With the wave of RFID going around and the current controversy about Disney's use of it: How is Disney's use (besides FP+) of the bands different that those used at Great Wolf Parks (with success) and Kings Island being rolled out this year? Both use for room, payment, and interactive storytelling. If it was such a controversal thing, why is there not outcry at Great Wolf and why would Kings Island start using them this year?

Just looking for some opinion because I have heard rave reviews (and experienced) the use of the bands at Great Wolf

never used them there. My issue is with the fact that giving permission for the app gives them permission to use your kids info. Any website directed at kids is not allowed to collect that info. Since "my disney experience" is not "directed" at kids, but is allowed to market to kids, it's a very slippery area they are sneaking into. Are there smartphone apps involved with the great wolf lodge system? Have you read the fine print?

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

After reading the document all the way through, I can't help wondering if Iger's a bit nervous at this point... or at least is looking a lot closer at just what he got into when signed that $1.5 billion check. The honest answer to nearly all of the committee's questions makes Disney look pretty guilty on all counts, and at this point I'm wondering if Iger was even informed of the full details of NextGen or the legal implications involved.

Guilty of what?

I think that this will obviously be an opt in service for, really, diehard fans who are repeat/frequent visitors.

When you think about it, more information is already stored about us online and in servers. If any one of us committed a crime of magnitude, the feds could get our Google searches going back for years, our Amazon purchases, emails. And this information is held by private corporations.

Disney will just get it we buy so many churros and which rides we go on. Big Ole' Deal, IMHO.

Can somebody say how this information could be used for evil purposes? (Assuming Disney doesn't give out email addresses to their business partners, that is almost uniformly opt-in on the web).

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

never used them there. My issue is with the fact that giving permission for the app gives them permission to use your kids info. Any website directed at kids is not allowed to collect that info. Since "my disney experience" is not "directed" at kids, but is allowed to market to kids, it's a very slippery area they are sneaking into. Are there smartphone apps involved with the great wolf lodge system? Have you read the fine print?

Not sure how the system will work, but if parents don't want their kids using "Magic Bands" to buy churros, then they don't sign them up, even then Disney only gets what info you give them, which ain't a whole lot, outside of an email address. I'm sure they'll put in a lot of safeguard involving kids, but I'm guessing that a lot of tweens are on Facebook and face more danger from the internet at large than from Disney.

 

[Lil Fort]

The real question is about COPPA compliance. There are certain things you can't do with data collection in relation to a child. This was pointed out by @Lil Fort @Lee and @WDW1974 well before the government stepped in.

Whether or not Disney found their loophole is to be seen.

Yes. It was.

And it was (and is) a huge concern to Disney. I broke that news through a high level source on my Spirited Observations thread ... it's all been whether Disney will be able to slime their way into a loophole that will allow them to track and data mine children (and, yes, that is what they are trying to do ... ignorant comments on tinfoil hats nonwithstanding) as well as adults.

I think Disney just suffered a HUGE blow today. And a well-deserved one. But I am discussing that already on my thread and I don't feel like keeping track of multiple discussions on the same topic. I placed my info out and am discussing over there. Hoping it's a great discussion.

There is a lot to read on @WDW1974's thread, but it is definitely worth a read if you value your personal privacy and that of your children. Here is the cliff notes version of what you need to know about COPPA as it applies to Next Gen and My Magic+:

1. COPPA (the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) is a law that protects the privacy of children under the age of 13 by giving parents control over what data that a website or service can collect.
2. Among other things, COPPA was amended late last year to include data collected on mobile devices and to cover persistent identifiers that can recognize users over time and across different websites or online services, such as IP addresses and mobile device IDs. However, no parental notice and consent is required when an operator collects a persistent identifier for the sole purpose of supporting the website or online service’s internal operations.
3. The final amended Rule also adds a process allowing industry to seek formal approval to add permitted activities to the definition of support for internal operations. (the proverbial loophole)

You can see how the amendment adopted late last year would put a damper on Disney's datamining dreams. Unless... Disney can show that collecting the information is for the purpose of supporting their internal operations. How this all fits into Next Gen, My Magic+ and FP+ was discussed on @WDW1974's thread (among other things). The web Disney is weaving is very interesting and I highly recommend that you give the thread a look when you are in the mood for a little 'light reading'.

 

[Lil Fort]

Not sure how the system will work, but if parents don't want their kids using "Magic Bands" to buy churros, then they don't sign them up, even then Disney only gets what info you give them, which ain't a whole lot, outside of an email address. I'm sure they'll put in a lot of safeguard involving kids, but I'm guessing that a lot of tweens are on Facebook and face more danger from the internet at large than from Disney.

Are you ready to give up FP+ if you opt out?

 

[ParentsOf4]

I find it ironic that a politician is so concerned about this, yet the Federal gov't is spying on it's citizens more than ever. That is a much bigger concern than a theme park experience.

Sadly, this is a matter where I trust the Federal government with all of its check and balances more than I trust a private company that's focused on profits above all else.