Thinking about hitting up a spot, but someone told me they scan IDs. I get why, but am worried about privacy issues. Like these places could get hit by one of those blackmail outfits that take servers hostage until they pay up or dump all the data into the public domain. Are you at all concerned about the privacy risks? Any risk mitigation tips?
There are two major types of these scanners that are on the market: 1) Document Readers 2) "Bar Code" Scanners
The "Document readers" are the ones that you need to be scared of. They literally take a picture of your id and match all of your information to ensure that your identity is valid. These are REALLY expensive and are more about validating that your ID is legit and not that you are above a certain age.
The "bar code" scanners are more common near me. 15 years ago I was doing a security gig near Rutgers University for a bar that just got "raided" by police. The bar staff was having problems with serving minors so they purchased one of these scanners to make sure it didn't happen again. They scan the barcode on the back of your DL and verifies all of your information on it.
The problem is that both of these products are marketed with data collection features. They will even have counters on them so they know how many times you have been there before. The scary feature is the "easily export data into excel" one.
My risk mitigation technique is slipping the bouncer a $20 or getting into forgery.
I generally avoid those places because I don't like it. I won't 100% refuse to go, but if there is a reasonable alternative I'll go there instead. That's my #1 piece of advice. You could go and make you objection known, then leave. If enough people did that, the club might reconsider. Or it might reinforce their desire to keep doing it if they think that was a "success" of keeping out an undesirable customer.
In my opinion, the likelihood of that scan data leaking is fairly high & the probability of anything undesirable happening as a result is very low. The value of the data is low, most of what they get is available from other sources already. Your name, address, birthday, etc has been leaked and is online. The fact that you went into that place I can't really see anyone caring about. It's not gonna leak as a scan at "Live Nudes Inc" it'll leak as a scan at "LN Entertainment" or some other name that could just as easily be a regular bar. Someone would have to go way out of their way to make the connection that its a strip club. Maybe you'll start seeing more advertising for adult oriented services or something.
But again, I don't like the ID scanning at clubs. I don't visit places that do it. If overnight all the local clubs started to do it, I'd probably acquiesce. Otherwise, I'll just avoid the clubs that do it and take my business elsewhere in the hopes that they'll learn.
First off, these clubs should be avoided if you have the option. At least in my region, every single club that scans IDs has a superior option nearby that doesn't. I'm also not referring to extras here, but superior in terms of prices, ambience and dancers friendliness and looks.
Clubs that scan IDs without consent should be noted in reviews here and referred to state regulators in states that prohibit it (e.g Rhode Island)
^ Agree. If that’s a condition of “allowing” me to spend money at your business, then forget it. I guarantee, a list of everyone present is discoverable by some attorney or cop looking for witnesses at a club after some accident or crime.
@Dolfan says," The fact that you went into that place I can't really see anyone caring about." Well, I am not too worried about it, but then again, I DON'T HAVE A WIFE. But then again, it is true that my basic info is already out there, as you say.
Do you guys know about the porn copyright-trolls who were abusing the court system as a means to extort money? They'd figure out how to get a record of the people who were downloading a particular porn producer's content without paying. On behalf of the porn producer, they would simply contact the supposed perpetrators and let them know. "Hey, we have a record that you watched 'Big Tits Number 99' on the internet but you didn't pay us $5.99. We'll tell your wife unless you settle the lawsuit with us." Often they didn't even have to instigate a lawsuit, just threaten to do so, because usually the amount of porn (and maybe the type) was embarrassing enough that any John would want it kept secret. The initial threat usually included a link to an automated website where you could pay "to have your information removed without penalty" or similar.
Well, anyway, I could see this kind of info getting out and being similarly used against the Joe's and John's who go to strip clubs. Wouldn't like it.
You should definitely be worried. It’s only getting worse but you should not give up. Limit your exposure everywhere and every way possible. I would never let a club scan my ID or use a credit card/ATM but there are other places that you may not be as free to just walk away from.
Get yourself a passport ID card to go along with your passport. The cards are only meant to ease crossing the Canadian and Mexican borders but they are in fact official US government identification cards. The only information on the card is your name and date of birth plus your photo and passport number.
It’s not a solution but as I said always try to limit your exposure.
Make sure you ask before you hand your id over because they won't warn you, they'll just put it right through the scanner.
Ultimately now adays it's about 50/50 clubs I go to now how have some sort of scanner or not. I just go ahead and do it. Maybe I should be more concerned but I feel like it's just the new normal now. It's getting more and more prevalent.
I used to make an issue about my ID getting scanned, but my desire for tits in my face eventually won the day and I have now chosen not to lose sleep over it. What I don’t understand is why they scan at night but not during dayshift. Different clientele? Maybe.
We all do our own internal risk assessment for any activities in which we choose to participate. I don’t think the general public has any overwhelming desire to know who’s going into strip clubs. My only real concern is if a criminal act occurs while I’m at a club, like a murder in the parking lot. Law enforcement will have the database of club patrons in a heartbeat, and probably contact all of them looking for potential witnesses.
FYI, if you’re worried about privacy stuff, check out the new documentary on Netflix about the Ashley Madison data breach. A bunch of guys had their worlds turned upside down, although that data was a lot more juicy than a list of strip club patrons.
“Hey, don’t know you?” Is the reason why I refuse to show my id. I have to have my handler tip in saw bucks to get me through the door, just so I can monger in peace.
@azdd the Ashley Madison sorta thing is what I’m worried about. Yeah SCs are not like sites for cheaters, but my employer would still not look kindly on it.
I won't do it simply because there is no valid reason whatsoever. The two times I asked why I was told "Insurance Companies Demand it". I was doing liquor liability cases at the time, so I knew that to be false. The second time they told me "To keep track of how many are inside in case there is a fire". I asked what the procedure was for scanning on the way out, otherwise everyone who came in would still be listed as inside. That is when I was invited to come in without a scan..
Automatic deal breaker for me. For anyone outside of financial institutions (setting up new account) or law enforcement . I've never had a regular bar scan my ID.
Tbh I'm not especially sensitive about my ID being scanned, especially since my separation. What will they do with the information, mail something to me? I'm the only one who collects my mail. Publish it on some site somewhere? Go wild - going to a strip club is not illegal.
Bad actors can't do much of anything more serious than that without my SS# and/or financial site login credentials.
They scan your ID when you rent a motel room, so what could go wrong? Strip clubs are semi-legitimate businesses, run by and filled with shady characters. You visit a strip club, take a trip or two to the vip. Then...
Suppose a week letter you get a letter from a lawyer saying she represents a dancer who claims you sexually assaulted her in the vip. She hasn't filed criminal charges, yet, but she'll need lots of compensation.
Or, suppose a crime was committed in the area and the police want to talk to everyone who was at the club.
Or, suppose an enterprising computer need puts up a web site featuring pictures and addresses of strip club patrons. For a fee you can be kept off it.
What will actually happen that causes you to regret letting them scan your ID will be something I never thought of. Maybe the club sells your data to a marketing company and you start getting adult junk mail.
There is absolutely no legitimate reason for a club to scan your ID.
It’s a risk of playing the game. I don’t like it but a couple of the clubs I like to go to do it. A scan only shows the same info on the front of your license, which is enough for a bad actor to do some damage, but likely not get access to your credit card or bank accounts. Low probability/high damage would be something crazy happening like someone being killed in the club the night you were there. Cops will get the list and come looking for witnesses. They won’t have a phone number and would most likely knock on your front door. Very unlikely, but unforeseen circumstances are usually how even best laid plans are undone.
21 comments
Latest
There are two major types of these scanners that are on the market:
1) Document Readers
2) "Bar Code" Scanners
The "Document readers" are the ones that you need to be scared of. They literally take a picture of your id and match all of your information to ensure that your identity is valid. These are REALLY expensive and are more about validating that your ID is legit and not that you are above a certain age.
The "bar code" scanners are more common near me. 15 years ago I was doing a security gig near Rutgers University for a bar that just got "raided" by police. The bar staff was having problems with serving minors so they purchased one of these scanners to make sure it didn't happen again. They scan the barcode on the back of your DL and verifies all of your information on it.
The problem is that both of these products are marketed with data collection features. They will even have counters on them so they know how many times you have been there before. The scary feature is the "easily export data into excel" one.
My risk mitigation technique is slipping the bouncer a $20 or getting into forgery.
In my opinion, the likelihood of that scan data leaking is fairly high & the probability of anything undesirable happening as a result is very low. The value of the data is low, most of what they get is available from other sources already. Your name, address, birthday, etc has been leaked and is online. The fact that you went into that place I can't really see anyone caring about. It's not gonna leak as a scan at "Live Nudes Inc" it'll leak as a scan at "LN Entertainment" or some other name that could just as easily be a regular bar. Someone would have to go way out of their way to make the connection that its a strip club. Maybe you'll start seeing more advertising for adult oriented services or something.
But again, I don't like the ID scanning at clubs. I don't visit places that do it. If overnight all the local clubs started to do it, I'd probably acquiesce. Otherwise, I'll just avoid the clubs that do it and take my business elsewhere in the hopes that they'll learn.
Clubs that scan IDs without consent should be noted in reviews here and referred to state regulators in states that prohibit it (e.g Rhode Island)
I know of one guy who paid something like $75 to $150 for a scannable fake ID just for this purpose.
I guarantee, a list of everyone present is discoverable by some attorney or cop looking for witnesses at a club after some accident or crime.
@Dolfan says," The fact that you went into that place I can't really see anyone caring about." Well, I am not too worried about it, but then again, I DON'T HAVE A WIFE. But then again, it is true that my basic info is already out there, as you say.
Do you guys know about the porn copyright-trolls who were abusing the court system as a means to extort money? They'd figure out how to get a record of the people who were downloading a particular porn producer's content without paying. On behalf of the porn producer, they would simply contact the supposed perpetrators and let them know. "Hey, we have a record that you watched 'Big Tits Number 99' on the internet but you didn't pay us $5.99. We'll tell your wife unless you settle the lawsuit with us." Often they didn't even have to instigate a lawsuit, just threaten to do so, because usually the amount of porn (and maybe the type) was embarrassing enough that any John would want it kept secret. The initial threat usually included a link to an automated website where you could pay "to have your information removed without penalty" or similar.
Well, anyway, I could see this kind of info getting out and being similarly used against the Joe's and John's who go to strip clubs. Wouldn't like it.
Get yourself a passport ID card to go along with your passport. The cards are only meant to ease crossing the Canadian and Mexican borders but they are in fact official US government identification cards. The only information on the card is your name and date of birth plus your photo and passport number.
It’s not a solution but as I said always try to limit your exposure.
Ultimately now adays it's about 50/50 clubs I go to now how have some sort of scanner or not. I just go ahead and do it. Maybe I should be more concerned but I feel like it's just the new normal now. It's getting more and more prevalent.
We all do our own internal risk assessment for any activities in which we choose to participate. I don’t think the general public has any overwhelming desire to know who’s going into strip clubs. My only real concern is if a criminal act occurs while I’m at a club, like a murder in the parking lot. Law enforcement will have the database of club patrons in a heartbeat, and probably contact all of them looking for potential witnesses.
FYI, if you’re worried about privacy stuff, check out the new documentary on Netflix about the Ashley Madison data breach. A bunch of guys had their worlds turned upside down, although that data was a lot more juicy than a list of strip club patrons.
Bacon!!
Bad actors can't do much of anything more serious than that without my SS# and/or financial site login credentials.
Suppose a week letter you get a letter from a lawyer saying she represents a dancer who claims you sexually assaulted her in the vip. She hasn't filed criminal charges, yet, but she'll need lots of compensation.
Or, suppose a crime was committed in the area and the police want to talk to everyone who was at the club.
Or, suppose an enterprising computer need puts up a web site featuring pictures and addresses of strip club patrons. For a fee you can be kept off it.
What will actually happen that causes you to regret letting them scan your ID will be something I never thought of. Maybe the club sells your data to a marketing company and you start getting adult junk mail.
There is absolutely no legitimate reason for a club to scan your ID.