My city has a pretty nice park in it. This past spring, they spent a ton of money installing almost two dozen new tennis courts.
I haven't played tennis in years, but the wife and I have been trying to be more active and get in shape. So we saw that there were all these new courts, and they were usually pretty empty, so why not? We bought a couple of cheap racquets and some balls, and drove over to the park.
There, we discovered that the courts were behind a pin-code locked gate. A big sign said, "Open to the public 5AM to 9PM" and had a QR code under it. I'm abnormally paranoid about QR codes posted in unmonitored public spaces, so I went to the city's website and clicked around until I find out what was going on: you need to scan the code to go to a website to reserve a court for a certain time slot, and then they will email you with a unique code for the gate five minutes before your reservation.
This is, on its own, an insane system. The only upside I could come up with is that, if you save the link and book in advance, you'll always be sure to have a court to use. But, again, there's nearly two dozen of them and I've never seen more than three in use at a time.
But we were there, we had our equipment, so I caved and began signing up for this bullshit. They had me create a username and password, and finally I was able to select a court, select a time, and click "reserve."
Except that when I clicked, it took me to another website to make another login. This was not a .gov, but some private company that I guess the city contracted with? And to make a login there, they needed my email, my phone number, my DOB, my zip code, and even my gender.
So to play a game on a public court, in a public park, in a city that I pay taxes to, I need to surrender tons of personal identifying information to a third party? Fucking why?! Who thought this was a good idea? What part of the community does this serve?
So, yeah, I'm taking the tennis stuff back to the store, I guess, and the spouse and I will need to find another hobby.
I'm in the UK, we have a registration system for Tennis courts in my local park. It's to ensure it's only accessed by people who are supposed to be using it, not kids damaging the net for example. It is also to prevent people arguing or overstaying for ages when other people want to play or prevent private tennis coaches/business abusing it. It's particularly useful in busy times like the summer.
Check the privacy policy of the 3rd party company. They may need to match you up to local records to ensure you're entitled to use the tennis court as it's publicly funded? Or to ensure you're a real person and not someone wanting access to steal the net or something random for example. Collecting data is not an issue in itself unless their privacy policy means they can use your data for anything else or store it. If so then complain to your city.
I disagree with the premise of ensuring it's only accessible to people who are "supposed to be using it." This is a public park. The public is supposed to be using it. By forcing registration, they're limiting access to just people who have smart phones and are savvy enough to navigate the registration hoops. Children and old people aren't allowed to play tennis, I guess?
If the big tangible benefit is resolving scheduling disputes, this is an over-engineered solution. There could be a sign-up board or book right by the entrance. Hell, they could station a park worker there during peak hours, just like they do for the swimming pool there.
And data collection absolutely is an issue on its own. Especially when it's tied to a random QR code on a sign. A malicious actor could make their own copycat portal and start stealing IDs with the amount of information these guys are asking for. And that's to say nothing of what the actual company may be doing with it.
We shouldn't have to hassle, or giving away personal info to use something we funded.
So you think anyone should be able to walk into a library and yoink the books without a card?
Honestly? Yes. Most people aren't visiting a library with malicious intent. There's no profit in stealing and selling things that are already given for free. So who is fucking this system up? Hoarders and antisocials? I think the system can outpace and forgive them.
All of this just adds unnecessary friction.
I agree that the first half of this system makes sense.
People underestimate vandalism and carelessness wrt anything that is free, public, anonymous.
But the 3rd party shit is insane, and would not fly under the laws of my country.
I remember when I was in high school and on the tennis team, we had practice on a public court. Someone had laid on the net or something because it was all stretched out and saggy. It basically became unusable for playing tennis since it drooped all the way to the ground. I imagine this system would have prevented it.
I would complain about the secondary login with the private company though.