What!? One of the thousands of separate and individually "secured" systems that you have to give your information to on a daily basis failed? But how could this be? Everyone knows having 1747627994 points of possible failure is the only way to ensure digital security!
So is this legally different than making a photocopy of your passport? Since that is supposedly not allowed but in the moment you are asked you are obviously going to comply as you really need a place to stay. If it is not I hope this company gets into the legal drama they deserve.
Not allowed where?
The hotel check-in system, called Tabiq, is maintained by the Japan-based tech startup Reqrea. According to its website, Tabiq is used in several hotels across Japan and relies on facial recognition and document scanning to check guests in.
They left an S3 bucket open.
His is why digital ID is bad.
No. A properly managed eid system like the EU digital wallet would be better.
You would not hand over any document to the hotel. They would ask the central authority server if you are who you claim. You would get a prompt to confirm that you allow the hotel to confirm your identity. The server would respond, yes you are indeed that person. End of transaction.
No data would be left to whatever security standard (or lack there of) that the hotel has. No critical documents stored on their end.
Whatever happened to just here is my money I will stay here and be done? Why does the hotel need to give a shit who i am that I am staying?
Laws requiring Hotels identify their guests. This is a requirement for several reasons.
Some of which are visa requirements for foreign visitors, making it harder to use fake guests to launder money, in addition to several other uses of hotels by criminals (including prostitution) leaving a paper trail for authorities to follow up on.
Been awhile since I have been to the EU, that sounds like something stupid they would do. I imagine it would be France and Germany mostly.
Several countries I have been to recently I haven't even talked to anyone at the hotel, which is nice. I don't have to see the front desk at all, and the bell hop doesn't care.
Again, why can't I just pay and stay? It may be laws, but I am sick of this bullshit. People should be able to travel without state violence used against them.
And as we can see here, gathering information by the hotel is a horrible idea.
I've edited my response to include some of the reason some countries require the Hotels to identify their guests.
It can also be a liability/insurance requirement in case of fires or other accidents.
Many countries have several mechanisms to have a certain control of the movement of foreign nationals within their borders. Especially if they have problems with unofficial immigration.
I might not agree with all of the mentioned rationales, but at least a few I can understand why someone, somewhere considers it a "good idea"
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
