Due to the spread of COVID-19, many stores have begun recording visitor lists to identify customer movements. However, the customers’ information is not adequately protected. The behavior of some people who see the phone numbers on the list and contact them is inappropriate. A reporter for The Observer investigated how the stores in front of Yeungnam University were keeping personal information.
On September 24, the reporter examined the personal information of 20 franchise cafés and restaurants near YU. Unlike metropolitan areas like Seoul and Daegu, Gyeongsangbukdo has not required businesses to make an entry list. One of the café staff said, “The visitor list is just optional for owners, but the stores must be equipped with COVID-19 public guideline notices and hand sanitizers.”
Only three cafés were managing a visitor list. The list contains not only health status like fevers or respiratory symptoms but also personal information such as addresses and telephone numbers. The list was placed in the middle of the store so that customers could easily fill it in. That is, everyone who used the café could see their personal information. The staff said, “We cannot manage the list only. However, we can see it anywhere in the shop, so it will be difficult to abuse personal information.”
The visitor list is managed under the control of the store manager, but the personal information is still vulnerable. It is time to come up with privacy protection policies such as allowing only store managers to see the list.
