“As long as you know what’s registered when and where, there’s no moral problem”, says prof.dr. Martin Peterson, professor of Ethics & Technology at the Department of IE&IS, to put things into perspective. “The Lowlands wristbands will only be activated if wearers scan them with a chip reader, so they decide what they want to register. Tracking visitors with hidden cameras or disclosing information that was obtained without consent would raise great concerns, of course. But with this technology the wearer knows what’s forwarded or stored and what isn’t. Awareness is key in privacy- sensitive cases like this one. Besides, wearing an RFID chip is still entirely voluntary. Everyone can still opt for a normal wristband.”

“It all comes down to ‘informed consent’ really – are you aware of what happens with your data and do you consent. In everyday life we constantly agree to our data being transferred, just think of checking in with your public transport pass, or all the times you clicked ‘I agree’ on a website. But that’s where it gets risky. After all, do you really know what will happen with your personal information, or did you just tick a box without giving it a second thought?
Legally speaking, the company behind the idea can’t be blamed, because you gave your consent. Morally, however, it’s a grey area. Information may be unclear purposefully, or consist of pages and pages of text that everyone knows nobody will read anyway. It’s pretty difficult to draw a clear line between what’s okay and what isn’t.”

“This kind of technology is used more and more, and because it’s introduced with baby steps people tend to accept the changes more easily. Twenty years ago, we would’ve been outraged at such ‘Big Brother’ practices. Today, we already do so much that’s registered, and we are fully aware of it, too. Is that a bad thing by definition? It’s often linked to convenience. First, an organization will make sure users think of something as useful – with the wristbands, it’s a direct connection to Facebook; with train tickets it’s the idea you won’t have to stand in line – and the year after that they’ll offer more possibilities.
Eventually, it’s a win-win situation: I save time, and the company saves my personal information. Society is gradually changing and as a result, we’ll accept people knowing where we are and what we’re doing. Practicality is more important than abstract ideals in the end. I’m not a big pop festival enthusiast, but otherwise I might have decided to walk around with one of the RFID chips. As long as the organization or sponsor is transparent, I don’t see any harm in the idea. A message to all Lowlands visitors: don’t worry, be happy!”