TSA's QR Statistics

The TSA have come under fire for many things. Most recently, Fred Trotter has called them out for using a "dummy" QR code which leads to a page the TSA don't control. An astonishingly lax approach to QR use.

Last year, I noticed this QR code as I passed through San Francisco Airport.

The code goes to a TSA site (albeit non-mobile), which is odd, as the TSA do have a capable mobile site.

What I find most curious is that the TSA are using the Goo.gl URL shortener.

This is a bad idea for two reasons.

1. How does a user know where the code is going to take them? The URL "goo.gl/Qrlx1" could lead literally anywhere. A security minded organisation should always use their own domain name when creating a QR code.
2. Google short URLs allow anyone to see your QR code's usage statistics.

So, let's see how the TSA checkpoint QR code does.

Interesting to note that there are a few people prepared to pay roaming data charges to view the site. I've no idea if this exact QR code is at other airports, but it's gathering around 80 scans per day.

You can read more about the TSA's use of QR codes at their press centre.