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Bob Iger today told a Massachusetts congressman that his privacy issue concerns about new technology being introduced at Disney theme parks are bunk. “We are offended by the ludicrous and utterly ill-informed assertion in your letter dated January 24, 2013, 
that we would in any way haphazardly or recklessly introduce a program that manipulates children, or wantonly puts their safety at risk,” the Disney chairman and CEO wrote in a letter (read it in full below) Monday to Ed Markey.
The program to which Iger is referring is the company’s MyMagic+MagicBands digital venture set to launch this spring at Disney World. As Iger outlined last week during a Q&A with Brian Grazer, the initiative enables theme park visitors to upload their personal information into digitally enhanced wristbands so they can reserve time on rides and in restaurants as well as upload birthday information. From Disney’s point of view, the MagicBand tracks guest interaction and purchasing behavior while in the parks.
Iger’s letter today comes in response to a letter that Markey, co-chairman of the Congressional Bi-partisan Privacy Caucus, sent to Disney on Thursday raising concerns about the new technology. “Collecting information about how guests use Disney amusement parks could improve the company’s ability to target advertisements at its guests, including children. Although kids should have the chance to meet Mickey Mouse, this memorable meeting should not be manipulated through surreptitious use of a child’s personal information,” wrote the House Democrat. Here’s Iger’s full response today:
January 28, 2013
The Honorable Edward Markey
2108 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Congressman Markey:
For 90 years, Disney has been synonymous with high-quality entertainment for families and children of all ages. We use creativity, innovation and technology to create memorable moments and experiences for our hundreds of millions of customers and guests. And, as you well know, Disney’s record and commitment to children’s safety and security and the protection of their privacy is exemplary. People around the world trust Disney and its products. That trust is the cornerstone of our company, and we take it very seriously.
We are offended by the ludicrous and utterly ill-informed assertion in your letter dated January 24, 2013, that we would in any way haphazardly or recklessly introduce a program that manipulates children, or wantonly puts their safety at risk.
It is truly unfortunate and extremely disappointing that you chose to publicly attack us before taking the time to review our policies and/or contact us for information, which would have obviated the need for your letter. Had you or your staff made the slightest effort, you would have found most of the answers to your questions already existed and were publicly available online at http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/pp.html and https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/my-disney-experience/privacy-policy/.
In the enclosed attachment, we address the questions in your letter about our new, yet-to-be launched program, MyMagic+. However, to ensure that you fully understand our practices as they pertain to children, and our commitment to our guests’ privacy, let me be clear and reiterate the basic facts.
MyMagic+ is a completely optional program that was designed with privacy controls from the outset. Disney does not use personal information to market to children under age 13, does not personalize or target advertisements to an individual child, and never shares children’s personal information with any third party for their marketing purposes. Additionally, parents have full control over their child’s participation in MyMagic+. We have transparent privacy practices, guests can control and limit the amount of information they provide to us — and how their information is used.
Further details are attached
Sincerely,
Robert A Iger
Deadline's Dominic Patten - tip him here.
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May be hard to believe, but our Representatives in Congress are often much more clueless than even Hollywood Execs.*
Go get ‘em, Bob!
(*Or maybe not that hard to believe after all.)
Bob’s letter was perfect…except for the “The Honorable Edward Markey” part.
If congress could be run as well as Disney….this country would be much better off.
Zapbob
Clueless? Really?
Disney are spending $1 billion introducing this new technology so that Snow White can tell whether it’s a kid’s birthday? If that’s the case, the Disney shareholders might have a problem with how their money is being spent.
Disney is implementing this system in order to make money. The MagicBand will contain credit card information, which will enable people to get further into debt with the flick of a wrist. Money spent at Disney resorts will feel even less real because the consumer will no longer even have the thinking time involved in taking out a credit card to decide whether they can afford a purchase. Instead it will be a case of see something, flick the wrist, bought something. Worry about how to pay for something later.
Companies can have all kinds of processes in place protecting personal information. The dissemination of personal information isn’t what’s dangerous about this technology. What’s dangerous is that it’s giving a large corporation detailed information on buying behaviour which will enable them to consumer market with almost sharpshooter accuracy, at the same time as giving them a device that facilitates instant, frictionless purchasing, with the consequences of those purchases delayed until the consumer has left the sugar-rush environment of the theme park.
Try $2.5 billion – and you have no idea what you are talking about.
Also – where in the name of all that is holy makes you think that Magic Bands hold credit card information? They hold a unique identifier (a number) that cast members use via their tablet devices etc to look you up in the Disney database(s). There is no personal information on these bands. You speak as if you have a clue, and everything you state is absolutely, ill informed, utter nonsense. I apologize for the harshness, but you, my friend, have such little knowledge of what you are claiming that it may even fall into the “You have a negative number of common sense” bracket that you just created with your nonsense.
Dear Sir,
Of course Disney wants to make money…they are a business. And re the consumer…It is about time that you and those with the same mindset need to do…Stop blaming everyone else except yourselves for poor financial choices. Disney clearly said participation is YOUR choice…if you have so little self control…don’t participate. By the way if you shop on line…make grocery lists on line…and on and on…those venues are tracking, remembering and advertising to your specific likes. Grow up and take responsibility for your choices!
Fan, have you ever heard of personal responsibility? Isn’t it up to you each and every day to decide if that purchase you are making is within you means. I can only assume that you also have issues with debit cards, credit cards, etc. The means of payment, be it a Key to the World Card, credit/debit card, check, cash, MagicBand, doesn’t matter one bit – it is still up to the consumer to be responsible for themselves.
If Snow White can greet a child and know their Birthday – that’s what keeps families coming back, and that’s why Disney is the best in the industry and the best in what they do. The personal experience, that’s what makes them best in the biz.
The above link has typos.
Here is the correct link:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/my-disney-experience/privacy-policy/
“that we would in any way haphazardly or recklessly introduce a program that manipulates children,”
Isn’t Disney all about manipulating children?
Exactly what I thought! But then again, Disney doesn’t do this “haphazardly or recklessly” though. They puts lots of time and money into the project..
Deadline, let’s not forget that Markey is running in the special election to replace John Kerry in the Senate. This MIGHT have some reason for his taking up this cause.
We simply insert the microchip beneath a flap of skin in the child’s neck and “Voila!” we can track them for a radius of up to one thousand miles outside the Disneyworld hub! (Side effects may include rumbly in your tumbly, hefalump sightings, and the urge to sweep the house while singing and attracting wildlife.)
Disney wants your $$$$’s based upon tracking where you go….its as simple as that. Just imagine, for example, if your cell phone company did the same thing under the guise of exactly the same excuse Disney gives. What a load of crap they are trying to shovel in the name of profits, especially when it comes to kids.
I guess it depends on what is meant by “personal information”. Hopefully a child’s address (internet or home) will not be part of the info. Fact is-even names &/or birthday info can be dangerous if the wrong person gets ahold of it. There is a need to be careful here. What if some perv were to get ahold of personal info? Even some of the workers at Disney give me pause. I mean,do really know who is under the costumes of Mickey/& others or what their intentions really are?
Yes, some of us DO know who are under the cosutmes. And they have background checks performed on them before getting into costume.
There is always the “opt-out” option. And what’s the difference between having your birthday encoded in the MAgic Band or wearing an “It’s My Birthday!” button all around the parks?
Thou protests too much…Not a big fan of corporate “convenience” to the masses via technology. But that’s just me.
It’s a small world after all, kids! Be SEEING you!
Hooray for Iger. I would have expected a member of my party to be smart enough to call Iger on the phone and express his concerns directly to get answers. There’s a lot going on in America right now – this is hardly worth focusing on when you don’t have information on which to do so. Please pay attention to handling mental health, child abuse, hunger, foreign affairs and the economy, Congressman Markey. While no corporation is pristine, and always bears watching — this is hardly the time to take your attention away from what we care about.
Would Bob be willing to wear a digital wristband so I could keep track of him/bombard him with Disney ads/promos?
that is incredible! and so true! in much the same vein as that ludicrous Repub ‘voucher for medicare’ schtik that Paul Ryan vomited at the hand of big business up his ass. he and Mitt are definitely not going to be cashing in a pre-$et voucher on a budget at the age of 65. Bob doesn’t even have to worry about his spending, brand preference, and income demographics being tracked on every supermarket/amusement park/gas station keyfob he doesn’t have to carry.
My Question Exactly, Commenter Hmm.
Bob Iger could use some MagicBand scrutiny, we’d all like to see what he spends his $40 million “compensation” on.
As for the technology itself… well when a corporate giant like Disney tells you it’s for your benefit, that it’s all to make your visit more enjoyable, you know it’s something right out of PINOCCHIO. We’re all targeted enough as it is outside of their parks, let alone in them!
Are you going to share what YOU spend your compensation on? If not, why demand it of anyone else?
Plain and simple – if you are that paranoid about being “tracked” or “targeted”, don’t opt-in for a Magic Band.
I like Bob Iger, but be needs to learn his history. It’s this kind of public criticism that killed Disney’s America back in the nineties. A few vocal muckety-mucks started opening their mouths and Eisner responded by peeing right in them. The whole thing got out of hand fast and Disney ran away with its tail between its legs.
Disney should have been engaging these guys from the outset COPPA is a real, unwieldy thing. Like ADA stuff, it is goopy and impossible to master. You’d think if a CEO was going to commit $1b+ to this kind of thing, he’d have these kinds of things covered.
Still, I do like Bob.
I love the Disney parks; I don’t trust the people who run them.
This guest surveillance wristband should be looked into.
In general, congressmen are dime-a-dozen jerks. This idiot proves he is.
Who is under the cartoon characters, well I will tell you. They are students who attend Disney University and there is a highly selective process to get chosen as a student. My Great Niece Jackie was a Disney University student and she loved her job as Buzzlightyear. She worked countless hours and took classes. Some of you people do not give Disney and Bob Iger credit for the wondferful opportunity for the guests ( children and adults) as well as the Disney University students.
For Fuck’s sake, if you don’t want one of these, don’t sign up for it.
Mr. Iger,
You are out of line here. Many of us value our privacy and do not want to have this tracking system shoved down our necks in order to “Enjoy” the amusement park. After a customer spends over 100 dollars per person per day at the gate, you would think that a customer does not need to be overtly bombarded with sales pitches and advertising gimmicks.
People have real concerns with the privacy issues this RFID technology you are investing so heavily in. Believe me, the public has only just begun to learn this Disney RFID next gen initiative. This negative PR and backlash is not what you guys need.
P.S please tell your marketing department to stop bombarding customers who spend $35 dollars on a Blu ray, with commercials that cannot be skipped. Really not cool.
Thanks,
It is optional and transparent. Read about it instead of spouting clueless nonsense.
Disney’s main financial benefit here does not come from targeted ads. It comes from improving people flow inside the parks. It increases utilisation of ride and restaurant capacity.
To all the people that are so “concerned” that Disney will track them (obviously you haven’t read anything about the project or how it works), do you have the same misgivings when your drivers license is scanned when buying Sudafed or when Best Buy scans your drivers license when you return something to them even though you have yoru original receipt and credit card. Or what about when you use your VIP card at your local grocery store. Trust me, your iformation is out there in the hands of more nefarious people than Disney.
Thank you, and AMEN!
If you don’t like, DONT USE IT!!
These things always start off optional, and then become mandatory within a couple of years. A company like Disney does not make this kind of investment and then leave it to chance whether the thing will actually be used.
I disagree there are always gray areas. I have had keys to the world cards at Disney and their cruise lines but I choose not to add charging privileges on them.
Disney will leave it to chance because people do not want to be bothered by anything while on vacation (especially if they have crying kids) that is why they will use it.
It is up to an informed consumer to make the choices that are best for them and their families.
It will always be optional to go to Disney World. I’d rather you not go so the lines won’t be so long.
Besides, we have bigger problems in this country than this.
Doesn’t one have the option of going to or not going to Disneyworld/land? My question is that if someone is so offended and put off by this wristband scheme, couldn’t that person avoid the horror and evil that goes along with wearing a tracking device by just going to Six Flags or some other amusement destination instead?
IT IS OPTIONAL! If you don’t like it don’t use it or don’t go to Disney. God, whatever happened to personal responsibility!
Some people are so clueless, they just fespond without even reading how this new system will work.
Besides this new program although new for Disney is not new for many other corporations.
Are people really that stupid and don’t realize that companies have been using information they supply to target them with new ways to sell them things. Even a hotel electronic key has personal information and is used in many locations as a way of paying for things that are later charged to the credit card on file when you booked
I get a little tired of people who complain or find fault about everything and everybody. If they have done as much good as Disney throughout the years I would listen to them. We first went to Disney World in 1973 with our children. Since then we have brought our grandchildren, nieces and nephews and now their children. Disney has my name, address, credit card, telephone number, e-mail address and I have never had any problem with them. No one in my family has ever felt they were tracked or threatened by Disneys marketing strategies. None of them have to go back to Disney World but they do. It’s clean,it’s fun,it’s a magical place where you can see the joy in the little ones faces. What more can you ask ? If you see it differently – STAY HOME !