MALLS TRACKING SHOPPERS CELL PHONES

Malls put a hault on tracking shoppers cell phones.
After a U.S. senator raised privacy concerns over the weekend two Malls
will stop tracking peoples cell phones.

This technology uses antennas to track shoppers
as they moved from store to store with out them knowing it.

The New York senator said in a statement: "Personal cell phones are just that -- personal.
If retailers want to tap into your phone to see what your shopping patterns are,
they can ask you for your permission to do so."

Cleveland-based mall management company,
Forest City Commercial Management said that they have tracked shoppers on Black Friday,
but now they plan on pursuing a easy opt-out option for shoppers.

They said they suspended the technology supported by concerns raised by Senator Schumer.
Schumer would like the FTC to examine the legality of the technology.

In the technologies defense,
Sharon Biggar, CEO of Path Intelligence pointed out that online retailers track a lot of customers in the digital world,
without letting shoppers know at all.

The technology does not
reveal data like shoppers names or phone numbers.
Each phone is assigned a random ID number allowing companies to track shoppers movements.
However, hacking is a concern.

Black Friday was the first launch of this technology in the U.S.,
it has been used in Australia and Europe.
U.S. retailers Home Depot and J.C. Penny are considering the technology.

Category:

News & Politics

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