Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

‘Big Brother’ airport gets flak

HELSINKI — Civil liberty groups have criticise a new tracking device at Helsinki Airport. All mobile phones logged onto the Wi-Fi network at the airport will be monitored by an in-house tracking system that identifies passengers’ real-time movements.

The new tracking system at Helsinki Airport enables shops to specifically target passengers who are within their vicinities. Photo: Bloomberg

The new tracking system at Helsinki Airport enables shops to specifically target passengers who are within their vicinities. Photo: Bloomberg

HELSINKI — Civil liberty groups have criticise a new tracking device at Helsinki Airport. All mobile phones logged onto the Wi-Fi network at the airport will be monitored by an in-house tracking system that identifies passengers’ real-time movements.

It is reportedly aimed at monitoring crowds and preventing bottlenecks at the airport, which sees around 15 million passengers a year.

About 150 white boxes have been placed at various points, designed to collect the “unique identifier numbers” of all mobile phones that have Wi-Fi access switched on. Passengers can also “opt in” for other services to receive sales offers from the airport’s 35 shops and 32 restaurants and cafes, in addition to any relevant flight information. The full tracking system is expected to be in place by the end of this year.

But software security analysts find it hard to believe “location tracking is only left at statistics” levels. “The fact that my movements are tracked is a scarier thought than someone knowing which websites I visit,” said Antti Tikkanen, director of security response at software maker F-Secure Oyj (FSC1V). THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.