[yapc] This is a QR Code. We’re going to use QR Codes a lot at...

[Rocco Caputo]

On Jan 6, 2012, at 15:26, Mike Whitaker wrote:

> On 6 Jan 2012, at 20:24, Walt Mankowski wrote:
> 
>> Then you can just use your laptop to go to the website and find out
>> the same information about attendees and sponsors that way.  This
>> ain't rocket science.
> 
> Although, apparently, it appears to be evil. Who knew?

The implications of ubiquitous visual metadata in online photos are awesome.  For example image hosts will begin decoding them and making their contents searchable within a year.  Social networks will use that to track you vis-à-vis the people you're photographed with.  Law enforcement loves that sort of thing, too.

But conscientious barcode use is no more evil than facial recognition, which is already happening: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/08/facebook-photos-facial-recognition-puts-names-to-faces-at-black-hat-conference.html

-- 
Rocco Caputo <rcaputo at pobox.com>