

British Airways flies into privacy storm over Google identity checks - rheide
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/british-airways-flies-into-privacy-storm-over-google-identity-checks-on-passengers-7913183.html

======
greenyoda
"We’re essentially trying to recreate the feeling of recognition you get in a
favourite restaurant when you’re welcomed there, but in our case it will be
delivered by thousands of staff to millions of customers."

When I'm welcomed at my favorite restaurant, I know that the people there
actually remember me and it gives me a warm feeling. If someone I've never met
before has some information about me that I haven't given them, that's
obviously fake and a bit creepy.

Also, if you happen to have a name that's shared by thousands of people on the
internet, like "David Smith", or a name that's shared by a famous person, like
"Jack Kennedy", what's the probability that a Google search will find
information that's actually about you?

~~~
fleitz
This sounds almost as bad of a user experience as club cards at supermarkets.
The way they struggle through my last name to pretend to know me is hilarious.

~~~
dredmorbius
"Thank you, Mr. Mouse .... oh."

------
stanleydrew
BA is searching public information on Google to offer better customer service.
What's the problem here?

~~~
drucken
People have a natural expectation that information used in one place is not
re-used in another without being explicitly given. This is especially the case
for online-offline interactions.

What next?

\- give Amazon or another vendor your credit card, now any Google Images
picture with your name and face is your avatar?

\- what about the reverse? Say, all public and commercial servcices have
access to a sophisticated real-time face-recognition app based on public (or
private) Internet services. Every time you enter a cab, a discrete and
inexpensive camera, uploads your face and returns a name and some background
information. Now the taxi driver asks how you are by your first name and asks
would you like to go "Home", "Work" or "School", because from their
perspective they are adding customer value?

I can see all sorts of problems and this is just the start...

I would be very surprised this did not violate EU and UK privacy directives if
the BA programme is not strictly opt-in, even for the type of high value
customers they are targetting.

~~~
antonID
This information is public. You put it on the internet. They are not taking
pictures of you without your consent, you already uploaded photos of yourself
for the world to see. In my eyes, this is not a privacy issue.

~~~
potatolicious
This is not a _legal_ issue - as you said, it's public information available
freely on the internet.

This is more of a "you're creeping everyone the fuck out, stop it" issue.

------
antidoh
I don't need synthesized recognition, I just need good, polite service.

------
disappointment
"BA’s biggest rival, Virgin Atlantic, also faced complaints over privacy after
it was alleged that one of its employees had leaked celebrities’ flight
details to a paparazzi agency."

That sounds much worse. What BA is doing - Googling their clients - is, at
worst, overzealous.

------
brackin
They already do this to a large extent. When you're in business class or
higher (this new policy only applies to Business or First) the air hostess
already knows your name, where you're sitting, etc and greets you with "Hello
Mr. Brackin".

The only difference is when getting on the plane they'll know what you look
like and can greet you, point you to your seat and apologise about any
inconveniences on connecting flights.

BA aren't very good at explaining technology evidently, it's much less of a
big deal than even they're making it out to be in my opinion.

------
adrianhoward
Hmmm.... I wonder how this fits in under the European data protection laws.

From my reading of the UK DPA it would be illegal for BA to search and store
information about me without me giving them permission to use the information
about me for that purpose. Since they mention the act in the article I'm
guessing that it's opt-in and not a problem.

------
blu3jack
I flew first class the other day. I don't usually. I found myself startled --
and not pleasantly so -- when the flight attended used my name when asking
whether I might like something to drink.

~~~
stanleydrew
You know your name is on your ticket right?

~~~
objclxt
Yeah - once you're on the plane there's really no need for your image, because
you're virtually guaranteed to be in the seat you're assigned to (especially
in business class and above), at least until you've taken off.

BA actually issue their senior cabin crew with iPads, both to digitise various
pieces of paperwork but also to allow them to get more direct access to things
like seating plans and passenger manifests, allowing them to welcome people by
name, etc etc.

------
tedsuo
Time to SEO my name with images of muppets, I guess...

------
activepeanut
It's not my cup of tea, but I don't see the harm if you make it an opt-in
program.

