Health code, travel code, payment code, meal order code... Nowadays, more and more QR codes are replacing physical vouchers such as bus cards and menus. Many operations can be completed by simply scanning with mobile phone software. Our daily life brings a lot of convenience, but it also brings some hidden worries.
Take scan code ordering as an example. Customers who clearly only want to order a dish are asked to pay attention to the official account. Some also require verification of their mobile phone number and authorization of personal geographic location. Even more excessively, customers are asked to fill in their name, gender, and year of birth. If you wait for personal information, you won’t be able to order.
Many customers complain, "It's just ordering a dish, is it necessary?" So, is it reasonable for the business to do this?
How can customers avoid privacy leakage?
Is the restaurant suspected of over-collecting information when ordering meals by scanning codes?
How can consumers avoid privacy leakage?
Scanning codes and ordering meals to collect personal information?
Franchisees claim to have a unified marketing system
When scanning code ordering first emerged, it was regarded by many stores as an effective way to improve ordering efficiency and reduce labor costs. As long as you scan the code, you can see the menu. Each dish is equipped with detailed instructions and pictures. Being able to order food, check out, etc., has indeed brought convenience to consumers.
But now, people find that scanning codes to order meals is a bit "changing".
Ms. Yu, a Tianjin white-collar worker who often dines out at noon, said that in the past, you can order directly by scanning the code, but now every time you scan the code, you still need to pay attention to the official account, enter the mobile phone number, and register for membership, etc., and you have to fill in a lot of things.
"Sometimes the store has a bad internet and has to be refilled, and it takes a long time to eat.
Mr. Wang from Shanghai also has ideas for ordering by scanning codes, especially some restaurants only offer ordering by scanning codes.
"One time I went out to eat with an old man in my family, and the old man wanted to see the menu because of his poor eyesight. He couldn't use this scan code format, but there was no menu in the store. I feel that the restaurant can scan the code to order, but it can’t just scan. Let’s order a meal."
Recently, some media visited 100 restaurants randomly, of which 72 provide scan code ordering service, 35 need to follow the official account, and 20 need to register a member with a mobile phone number, fill in personal information, otherwise they will not be able to order, the media reported Said that the vast majority of hotels requesting information are large chain stores.
A reporter from China Voice of China Central Broadcasting Corporation also visited and experienced a number of restaurants in Beijing at random.
Roadside restaurants generally can order food directly after scanning the code, but some well-known chain restaurants need to follow the official account, and the ordering page will pop up after paying attention. At the same time, the customer’s authorization avatar, nickname, region, etc., will not be able to order. .
These restaurants do not yet offer paper menus.
Reporter: We can only order food by scanning the QR code?
No menu?
Waiter: Well, do you want ice powder?
Reporter: Yes, why can I only use the scan code point?
Waiter: Some dishes are not on the menu, and the scan codes have all been updated.
Ms. Liu, who joined the chain restaurant, told the reporter of the Voice of China Central Broadcasting Corporation that this is out of the need for unified management of the group and is a unified marketing system.
"Of course, you don’t need membership information to open a small store, and it’s quite expensive to build a system. It’s meaningless. But your franchise stores have a unified marketing system, and you can do big data analysis based on customers’ consumption habits, and make everyone like them. The meals are ranked first, which is also instructive to our restaurant. When people pay attention or register as a member, they will send orders and coupons, so that customers will feel comfortable.”
△Merchants can push marketing information to consumers through the background
Consumers generally expressed their understanding of ordering by scanning codes
But worried about excessive demand for personal information
A reporter from the Voice of China Central Broadcasting Corporation found that consumers generally understand the restaurant's use of scanning codes to order meals, but excessive demand for personal information can make them feel uncomfortable and worried.
A catering system provider told a reporter from China Voice of China Central Broadcasting Corporation that after scanning the code, the restaurant sets up by itself. They are only service providers and they did not force the merchants to set these steps.
Supplier Mr. Qiao: We have a background program. You can perform corresponding operations through the background. For example, you can follow the official account to order food or directly order food. You can choose whether to register as a member or not. You can follow Set your own ideas.
You can send marketing activities, such as using the official account to push members every day, to see if they want to participate.
△The backend of the ordering service can view member information
Regarding the question of whether collecting consumer information will reveal privacy, Mr. Qiao said that they use their own cloud storage, so there is no need to worry about information leakage. They only provide businesses with information storage services and will not use them themselves. information.
Supplier: Customer information can be seen in our background, such as consumption frequency of incoming calls, taste preference, etc.
Reporter: Will the customer's personal registered member information not be leaked?
Supplier: No, this information is stored directly in our backend. We have cooperated with many large merchants. If there is a risk of leakage, they will not cooperate with us.
We have our own cloud.
Expert: Only provide a single ordering method
Infringement of consumers' right of free choice
Zhu Wei, the expert committee of the China Consumers Association and the deputy director of the Communication Law Research Center of China University of Political Science and Law, believes that the current practice of businesses to collect information through scanning codes to order meals is an excessive claim for rights. They only provide a single way of ordering. In a certain sense It also violates the consumer's right to free choice.
"This claim includes both excessive collection and use that goes beyond legality, necessity, and legitimacy. Because you can order food directly, there is no need to collect who is ordering, and there is no need to register as a member. This is an act of using ordering as an excuse to make excessive claims, and it also violates consumers' right to choose freely. Some businesses even use this information to send accurate advertisements to consumers. The Civil Code also stipulates that we Everyone has the right to peace, and it is our right to refuse to accept ads."
Zhu Wei introduced that the "Personal Information Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (Draft)" has been submitted for deliberation. One of the points mentioned is that consumers should not refuse to provide services because consumers refuse to submit information. It also mentioned the principle of least harm and the principle of proportionality. Merchants can only ask consumers for personal information within the scope of their services.
Zhu Wei suggested that consumers pay attention to protecting personal information in their daily lives and don't greet temporary discounts to provide them at will.
"Don't just follow some official accounts, small programs or service accounts. There is often a marketing method. After you follow and register, you will save a few dollars or send you a red envelope. When you receive the red envelope, you need to withdraw it to the bank. In the card, to fill in the bank card information for a few cents, enter the account and password, and the risk is very high. Now almost all services have related cancellation procedures, and you must be careful not to be over-claimed when you cancel. The current country We are also cleaning up this type of excessive claim, and we still have to take precautions before they happen."