OZschwitz: Pub fingerprinting dangerous: lawyer

A Gold Coast hotel decision to fingerprint patrons and scan their driver's licences as part of a security trial has been condemned by the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties as a breach of privacy and a safety risk.

The Coolangatta Hotel is testing the procedures' effectiveness in preventing and solving crimes as part of a greater push to improve security in Broadbeach's nightclub precinct.

The move includes the installation of more security cameras and a radio link between all the nightclubs' security officers.

Under the controversial trial, the fingerprints and driver's licence details of its patrons are being copied and stored on a database.

The move has civil libertarians worried, however, with Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice president, Terry O'Gorman, blasting the policy as dangerous.

"People who choose to go to these places should not have to surrender their privacy," Mr O'Gorman said.

"The other pressing issue is it poses a safety risk to female patrons.

"If these details are being stored in a database by security officers and pub staff, and one of them takes a fancy to a female patron then they can immediately get their address."

He said police officers had been charged with committing similar offences in the past and the risk of pub or security staff committing a similar crime was "unacceptably high".

He said identity theft was also increasing around the world and by taking patron's details, the hotel was placing them at even greater risk of falling victim.

Mr O'Gorman said the State Government should establish a privacy and information commissioner to oversee and enforce the fair use of the public's personal information.

The Coolangatta Hotel was being sought for comment.

LNK

Fucking outrageous!

OZschwitz: Pub fingerprinting dangerous: lawyer

OZschwitz: Pub fingerprinting dangerous: lawyer

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