Disney Faces Privacy Concerns over Plan

Consumers worried about their privacy might soon think Disney World is no longer the Happiest Place on Earth once the theme park's new MyMagic+ system is rolled out this spring.

The system will allow visitors to eschew using cash to pay for their various purchases around the park, and instead use rubber bracelets with their credit card information embedded on it to complete transactions, according to a report from the New York Times. However, at the same time, privacy experts worry about not only the financial implications this may have, but also the ways in which these bracelets will allow the park to track guests' movements.

The company will be constantly tracking guests' movements as they travel throughout Disney World's various theme parks, and that in turn will allow it to better understand visitors' habits, the report said. From that data, it will be able to tailor marketing messages and better customize visitors' experiences.

For its part, Disney acknowledges the privacy concerns that the MyMagic+ program entails, particularly for the millions of children it attracts every year, the report said. However, it pressed ahead anyway as part of a massive effort to modernize many aspects of the park. Further, experts fear that if the move proves successful - and knowing the way in which Disney operates, many believe it will - then that will likely lead to copycat programs for other theme parks and resorts around the world, which will only increase consumer privacy concerns.

Disney also has answers related to the potential for identity theft these bracelets may present for users, the report said. If one is lost or stolen, employees will know exactly how to deactivate them, and guests also have the ability to do so through the company's My Disney Experience smartphone app. Further, all purchases of $50 or more require the visitor to enter a PIN code, and the bracelets will carry no personal information of any kind.

Eduard Goodman, the chief privacy officer for IDentity Theft 911, writes regularly on his official blog about the ways in which consumers might encounter privacy challenges in their everyday lives, and what they may be able to do to better protect themselves in the future.