What data is collected when people scan a QR code?

Last updated 1 day, 14 hours ago

When people scan a static QR code, we collect no data (we can't as static QR codes take people directly to the scan destination)

When people scan a dynamic QR code created with Hovercode, we collect:

  • The time of the scan

  • Device details (e.g. iPhone, Safari)

  • The estimated location of the scan

The scan location is estimated based on the anonymised IP address of the device scanning the QR code. It's an estimate of the city and country. The locations are not always accurate so they aren't useful if you need accuracy. If you are aiming to compare QR code campaigns in different locations, a better approach is to create a QR code for each location, then compare which is getting more scans.

There's an option on the higher paid plans to enable GPS tracking. With this option enabled, people who scan the QR code will get a pop-up asking if they want to share their location data. If they opt-in to sharing their precise location, we collect their more accurate device location. This feature only makes sense with certain use cases where the people scanning the codes are happy to share their location (e.g. employers asking employees to log their locations).

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