Selfie Check-In and Privacy: Collecting Attendance Photos Responsibly
A selfie at check-in puts a face to every name. Here is when it is worth it, and how to collect photos without creating a privacy problem.
A selfie at check-in is the most direct way to show that the person checking in is the person on the list. It is also personal data, so it should be collected for a clear reason, kept to a minimum and deleted when it is no longer needed.
When selfies are worth it
For most sessions, a rotating code, one phone per person and a location check are enough. Selfies make sense when attendance triggers money or credentials: pay or fees tied to each session, continuing-education credits, licensing hours or certificates that matter for someone’s job. In those cases, a face next to each name lets facilitators and reviewers spot someone checking in for another person. Other ways to prevent proxy attendance.
Tell people before the camera opens
Participants should know, before taking the photo, that a photo is being collected, how long it will be kept and where to read more. Explain your purpose in your privacy policy and link to it from the check-in page.
Keep photos small and private
- A small square thumbnail is enough to recognise a face. There is no need to store full-resolution images.
- Remove metadata such as camera details and location from the image.
- Store photos outside the public part of your website, and show them only to signed-in team members.
- Show them where they are useful: next to the person’s name on the attendance sheet.
Delete automatically
The photo is needed while attendance is being checked, not forever. Set a fixed retention period, such as 30 days, and delete photos automatically when it ends. Tell participants the exact date. Automatic deletion is easier to keep to than a manual clean-up, and it means a data breach can only expose a few weeks of photos.
Offer an alternative
Some people cannot or will not take a selfie. Let a facilitator check them in at the door instead, recorded under the facilitator’s name.
What to put in your privacy policy
- That a photo may be taken at check-in, and for which sessions.
- Why: to confirm that the person checking in is the registered participant.
- Who can see it: your team members who run or review attendance.
- How long it is kept, and that it is deleted automatically.
- Who to contact with questions or requests.
Rules differ between countries and sectors, so check the requirements that apply to you, and ask for advice if you are unsure whether photos are appropriate for your participants.
Combine with location check
A selfie shows who checked in; a location check shows where. Together they make proxy attendance very hard. Geofencing attendance explained.