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Comment by tkahn6 | Hacker News Reader

How can you be sure the government doesn't have a deal with the hotel you stayed at to have the maids lift fingerprints and DNA samples from your room?

Edit: /s

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That's why I always wipe all flat surfaces before leaving a hotel room. I also bring dna samples from other people (something of the thread, something of the head, something of the body, and something of the dead) that I leave so that they can't be sure that it was I staying there.

I have considered removing my fingerprints but that's just weird.

That's awesome. I might start doing this as well. What do you actually use to wipe them off? Are you cautious of what you touch or try to touch as little as possible?

Actually the bigger point is: what privacy protection do Disney visitors have?

Is it allowed for Disney to e.g. correlate their fingerprint or ID database with a federal database for wanted people? Is it allowed for the FBI/NSA/CIA to go to Disney and demand a full list of fingerprints of visitors?

Funny, prior to 2001, most people would automatically assume that the answer to these questions are "of course not". Now, anyone who is paying attention would respond "most likely".

The fact that we are even asking these questions now is testament to the changes over the last decade-plus.

Since you're on their private property, probably not as much protection as you're inclined to believe you have on public grounds.

That being said, if it was ever discovered that Disney was sharing visitor information with outside groups you're guaranteed a huge public backlash, both in the media and in the park visitor count. Disney is the type of organization that avoids this kind of conflict, especially when a huge percentage of their clientele are children and their parents.

Google complies with 88% of government data requests. Where's the outrage?

They don't need it if you're entering the US for your vacation. Your fingerprint and face photo are taken at the border.

They don't yet take DNA, but I guess they could. There's a bit of trickiness about invasive procedures.

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