Following the Monday meeting with hospitality sector representatives and the announcement that it was backtracking on capturing bar and restaurant customer data, the Balearic government has clarified that there is to be a system. It will be with QR codes, the technology that is used in various countries.
With regard to data privacy and legality, which have been challenged by lawyers and the Consubal consumers association, the method adopted with QR codes is in line with EU guidelines for contact tracing. On general data protection regulation, a European Parliament document drew attention to "the processing of personal data" being regarded as "lawful where it is necessary to protect an interest, which is essential for the life of the data subject or that of another natural person".
The CAEB restaurants association tweeted after the meeting that the tourism director-general had agreed to find "alternative technologies" that will be "voluntary".
The government is therefore now saying that the QR codes system will be "the alternative" and that it will be outlined in two to three weeks time. There will be discussions as to what data are to be captured, e.g. only names and phone numbers or address as well. The Balearic Association of Software, Internet and New Technologies, based at the ParcBit technology park in Palma, will be in charge of configuring the system.
The government is stressing that the sole purpose of this is to identify customers in order to enable rapid tracing of those who have had contact in a bar or restaurant with someone who tests positive. It will only be for customers inside premises.
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Lots of things are used in "plenty of countries" but that doesn't make them right.