Amusement park preys on your zip code: ‘Can only be done with good reason’

NU.nl investigated 22 zoos and amusement parks. Seven of these appear to ask for your zip code and telephone number when buying an online ticket. These include Ouwehands Zoo, Duinrell and Burgers Zoo.

Dishes marketing

Collecting postal codes mainly offers an opportunity for targeted marketing, thinks Evelyn Austin of Bits of Freedom. “If you know where your customers come from, you can adjust your marketing strategy accordingly,” she tells EditieNL. “A zip code gives away a lot, about someone’s age and income, for example. So you can find your target group more easily and adjust your message more specifically.”

But is it also allowed to collect that data just like that? According to ethical hacker Daan Keuper, yes, but only for good reason. “If you can reach people by mail, then you don’t need the zip code at all.” And there is more. “Once the visitor has left the amusement park or zoo, the data should be discarded.”

In addition, people must give explicit permission for the use of their information. “That doesn’t always happen,” says Keuper. “In this case, it doesn’t sound like data storage allowed.”

Hackers

The data could end up in the wrong hands, for example that of hackers. One hacker collects data and another uses it. “The data is combined with data from other places and then sold on,” explains Keuper. That data can then be used for fraud. “For example, help desk fraud or false postal letters, supposedly from the bank.”

According to Keuper, all kinds of scenarios are possible. “But there are few professional criminals who are so sophisticated,” he says. In any case, be careful with your telephone and e-mail details. “At the moment the trade in telephone numbers is the largest, but e-mail addresses have an even greater value.”

Industry association response

According to the Club van Elf, the trade association for daytime amusement parks, their members take good care of the privacy of visitors. “The members of the Club of Eleven always comply with the law. This is also the case in this case. The privacy of consumers is guaranteed,” the chairman said in a response.