Privacy Invsaion: do you know what's actually happening when they "scan" your DL at bars/clubs to "check age" ? (credit check)

[TechmanOR]

Some bars, clubs, liquor stores and other stores carrying beer are scanning the bar-code on the back of your license, which looks innocent as
scanning your supermarket Rewards card.

The reason they give you is to check your license's printed DOB against the encoded one. The establishments utilizing such takes the card, looks it over, then scan it, and hand it back to you... Many people do not know what just happened here.

If they scanned the standard bar code only, they've still got a personally identifiable information. It contains (driver's license and DOB) which is reasonable as the DL # would allow the POLICE to track down who went in if it's needed, however I think Patron's should be made aware.

If a business scans the big bar-code, they've all the information that's printed on front of your license and it will likely get entered in their database without many people even knowing about it.

The information can be sold. An up to date database package of name, address,DOB and gender is an expensive, valuable asset for marketing people and they will use it internally to analyze demographics, who comes with who together etc.

See attached picture.

[PNW-type-gal]

Oregon's not one of the states that does it, but many DMVs package and sell the info in bulk. The days of this type of info being protected are pretty much gone, via multiple sources. That grocery club card. Your utility and/or cable bills. Your credit info.

[juliempdx]

Days of privacy are over!! For my new job they ran a background check on me plus a credit check. I was fine with the background check but I feel it is a huge invasion of my privacy to be checking my credit. We just moved to Pennsylvania and in order to transfer our oregon drivers license we had to show our ss cards, passport, oregon dl, and three forms proving that we were residents of PA. Everyone is cracking down.

[TechmanOR]

Most grocery cards are not bad as you don't have to fill in an accurate information to maintain its function and you choose what information you give.

I think THE biggest problem lies in the fact that they're surreptitiously siphoning your info building a private database with full information while misleading what they're collecting "just checking the age" or not say it until you specifically ask.

If what they are doing is more open, I think there would be a lot more patrons asking what the hell they're doing. Such as making copies, then putting it in file before your eyes or secretary keying everything in front of you, like at clinics. Unlike HIPPA, if their record is compromised or unlawfully brokered, they're not regulated.

Some business owners cite security concern as a cause to record your address, just to patronize somewhere. There is no excuse. They have security cameras watching who's going anyways, so all they need to collect is your DL#, which can be done scanning the "small barcode" (for Oregon DL). Then, they'd have "DOB" that they want to digitally verify... and if there's a criminal conduct issue, they need to call the police. They can instantly do a reverse look up for DL#, so there is no reason to build a private database of who lives where.

Business owners are not giving patrons the chance to object and not patronize when they don't let them acknowledge what's going on.

[TechmanOR]

Originally Posted by juliempdx

Days of privacy are over!! For my new job they ran a background check on me plus a credit check. I was fine with the background check but I feel it is a huge invasion of my privacy to be checking my credit. We just moved to Pennsylvania and in order to transfer our oregon drivers license we had to show our ss cards, passport, oregon dl, and three forms proving that we were residents of PA. Everyone is cracking down.

BTW, employers are facing greater burden to make sure applicants are not illegal immigrants using false documents, however I don't see why it's such a huge burden for "clubs" where they really need to just check age.