Emerging Issues Analysis

From the case study, the entertainment team, which is part of the resort operations from the Padgett-Beale Inc., is ready to attend a new platform for event management where the vendor is to contract with their company. It is a service that is cloud-based providing management that is end-to-end about concerts, conferences, and festivals (RFID4U, 2017). The marketing and media (M & M) head support the system because the data collected by the system and its analysis capabilities will be very beneficial and useful for the company’s efforts. The RO (resort operations) also has the belief that this technology can be leveraged to offer additional capabilities ties in the management of kids programs that are hotel-sponsored and other related events having children only. The corporate IT has given a tentative approval for outsourcing the system as it leverages capabilities that are cloud-based. The approval by the corporate is vital towards the acquisition of the technology after the shadow IT was banned since it is the only department given the mandate of purchasing, acquiring and outsourcing of contracts. The support of the technology is based on its aspect of reducing the level of infrastructure that the IT department is supposed to support and manage directly. Some high-level managers express concerns over the use of RFID wristbands in such events.

The use of the RFID system interferes with the privacy of people in events without their knowledge and the various security, and privacy issues include tracking of people without consent. The technology tracks the attendees to identify what they do, where they are at any given time, what they eat, what they buy or what interests them without their knowledge. This makes them overexposed (Bowler, 2017). The other issue involves collecting and recording personal data. People are entitled to privacy, and technology allows the management to access data that is private including personal interests. Unnecessary surveillance and monitoring is the other issue. Constant monitoring criminalizes the attendees of a show event. Access to account balances by the third party is a privacy issue too. When people use credit or debit cards with the technology, their account balances are exposed to the management other than the bank, and they remain unaware. Storing and carrying people’s data without their knowledge is the next issue. The data collected is downloaded and stored in the android app where the management can access it any time (Aimglobal, 2017). People should know that data is collected and is stored by event management system. Misuse of personal data is a privacy concern. The data gathered and stored is subject to misuse by the third party specifically when used for unintended purposes. Some laws apply to businesses such as Padgett-Beale Inc., for gathering, storage and transferring data concerning guests. In the US, there are laws to govern the use of RFID technology and some States have passed bills regarding the use of RFID. Several states in the country including California, Illinois, Missouri, Alabama, and Nevada have RFID privacy laws already applied (Weis, 2003). These laws prohibit mandatory RFID chip implantation; prohibit skimming of the RFID technology in identity cards that is unauthorized. The laws also regulate and prohibit tracking or monitoring of students.

The following are recommendations for the company to make sure they are in compliant with the law while guaranteeing good practices related to the event management system RFID technology (Universal RFID, 2017). Padgett-Beale need policies that bar their staffs from misuse of customer data. This ensures that data does not fall into the hands of criminals. They need to let customers know that they are using RFID technology and obtain their consent. The third party firm must be in compliant with security and privacy laws governing the use of various technologies. The company should considered the use of other event software that does not infringe too much on the privacy of customers. Software such as Zoho creator, Cvent or ticket tailor that allow less monitoring on the customer but achieve the same results of event management (Capterra, 2017).

Conclusion

From the analysis, the privacy and security issues of using event management system and RFID technology include tracking of people without consent, collecting and recording personal data, unnecessary surveillance, and monitoring, access to account balances by the third party, storing and carrying people’s data without their knowledge and misuse of personal data. The recommendations include the need to pass policies that encourage protection bar their personnel from misuse of people’s data. They need to alert the people of the capabilities of the RFID technology. The company should control all the processes that require the use of RFID so that all parties are comfortable with the technology. The firm needs to comply with security and privacy laws governing the use of various technologies. The company needs to embrace other event software that does not infringe on the privacy of people.

References