Retail consumers should not simply more follow through wifi signals. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (CBP) ruled that the so-called Wi-Fi tracking is contrary to Dutch law.
CBP did this research Bluetrace, a company that supplies technology to businesses in and around shops can catch the wifi signals from mobile devices. Blue Trace collects information about shoppers and passersby without informing them about these. This conflicts with the Dutch Data Protection Act (PDPA).
Blue Trace offers merchants the ability to gather more information about their customers. Think of how many people passing the store, how many visitors go into the shop and how long they stay in a particular place in the store. Among other things, the FEBO Ryanair and make use of the technology of Bluetrace.
Privacy Sensitive
According to CBP such location data are very privacy sensitive. Blue Trace collects the unique MAC addresses of mobile devices, along with the exact location, date and time. Moreover Bluetrace measure each day twenty-four hours and the company keeps the data indefinitely.
"People come uninvited and ignorant in files which for example can be deduced where they when were and what their shopping behavior. That can not," said Wilbert Tomesen, vice chairman of the DPA. "This data can be used to treat people differently or people to confront their route traveled. That's going too far, especially when it happens secretly and on the open road. "
Actions
Bluetrace has indicated measures, including further anonymize data and shortening the retention period to 48 hours. CBP has these measures have not yet assessed. If the measures according to the CBP are sufficient, wifi tracking is allowed.
You can also take action by disabling the wifi connection as soon as you go out the door.
Wednesday's broadcast of Future Makers all over use of big data in retail stores, including WiFi tracking. On RTL Z at 21.30.
RTL News / © Reuters
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