The risk of a classic address label
A classic paper address label attached to a suitcase is readable by anyone who comes near your luggage. During airport handling the suitcase passes through many workers' hands, is scanned, moved and stored.
Providing a full home address on a luggage label is particularly risky if you have flown away for a longer trip. Someone with bad intentions knows exactly where you live and that you are away from home for a specific period of time.
The problem is compounded by the fact that paper labels are permanent. They stay on the suitcase through many trips. The home address you left from a year ago is still visible to anyone who looks at the suitcase today.
What data to share and what not to
On a luggage label you should reveal only as much data as is necessary for a finder to make contact and identify the owner. The principle of data minimisation is key here.
Sufficient data is a first name or initials plus one contact method. A phone number in international format or an email address allows a finder or airport worker to contact the owner.
You should not reveal: a full home address, a national ID number, passport number, date of birth or employer name. These details are unnecessary for luggage return and can be harmful if they end up in the wrong hands.
How a QR tag solves the privacy problem
A QR tag is an elegant solution to the privacy dilemma of luggage labelling. A physical sticker or tag with a QR code contains no personal data whatsoever. Whoever looks at the suitcase sees only a graphical code.
Data is displayed only after an active scan with a phone. This is a fundamental difference from a classic address label where details are visible immediately to everyone.
An additional layer of privacy is the option to show only a contact form instead of personal data. A finder can send you a message without seeing your phone number or email address.
Home mode and Travel mode
One of the most practical features of a QR tag is the ability to switch between Home mode and Travel mode. Both modes are configured in advance and you switch between them with one click in the panel.
In Home mode the label might show your regular phone number and a general contact address. In Travel mode the label shows the address of your current hotel or information that you are travelling and prefer contact through the form.
This feature is especially useful if you are going on a longer trip with multiple stages. Before flying to Paris you switch to Travel mode and enter the Paris hotel address. The label on the suitcase stays the same throughout, but the data a finder sees after scanning is always current.
Anonymous contact form
An anonymous contact form is the option that maximises privacy for both parties. Instead of displaying a phone number or email address, the label shows a form through which the finder can send a message.
From the finder's perspective this is also a convenient solution. They do not need to call an international number and pay for the call. They do not need to know the owner's language. They fill in a short form in their own language and click send.
From the owner's perspective a form gives time to respond. Instead of receiving an unexpected phone call from a stranger in a foreign language, you get an email saying someone has found your suitcase.
Data privacy and GDPR
whostravel.ing operates in accordance with GDPR. The data you enter into your profile is stored securely and is not shared with third parties for marketing purposes or sold to advertisers.
You have full control over your data. You can at any time edit what is visible after scanning the label, pause the tag, delete your account and request deletion of all your data. These rights are guaranteed by GDPR.
Private label in practice
Imagine you are flying to Thailand for a two-week holiday. Before departure you log in to the whostravel.ing panel, update the address to the Bangkok hotel and switch to Travel mode. The suitcase label shows only a QR code.
At Suvarnabhumi Airport your suitcase does not appear on the belt. You report the loss. Meanwhile an airport worker has already found your suitcase, scanned the QR tag and seen the Bangkok hotel address. The suitcase is delivered to the hotel that same evening.
Throughout this entire process your home address was not visible anywhere. The finder saw only a QR code and after scanning saw the hotel address, which is temporary and does not reveal your permanent personal data.