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Comment by foxfired | Hacker News Reader

In 2017, I started working on an app that interacts with the real world using QR code. I became obsessed with QR code, I scan every single one I encounter.

You would be surprised at how many state/government service started printing QR codes (for more info) everywhere only to neglect the domain name. One that stood out to me was at Los Angeles International Airport. The sign said to scan get more info (flight info? I can't remember). I scanned and ended up on a parked domain name.

The OP is a perfect gentleman for not using the domain to exploit people instead. I want to say "how the hell do they let the domain name expire?" but I've worked in large companies where this was the running joke every few weeks. There must be a better way to notify people about an expiring domain name.

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> only to neglect the domain name

I'd bet that they started doing it, had zero uptake, cancelled the project, didn't bother re-printing promo material or renewing domains. QR codes are still too geeky (and maybe will always be).

Anecdotally I noticed QR codes all over the place in East Asian countries (on receipts in Taiwan for example).

Then here in Australia we now have a QR code system for 'checking in' to an establishment (for Covid tracing). I'd say at this point the vast majority of the population must be using QR codes multiple times a week/month. I've also seen quite a few bars/restaurants implement NFC/QR discs on tables that then point you to the menu/online ordering. It works surprisingly well (and I believe some countries in Europe have done the same in terms of menus at the very least).

So this might be the year of the QR code!

In Singapore, it’s also pretty common for cafes to have menus (or even end-to-end ordering and payment) via QR code. I think that’s a pretty good use case (in addition to COVID check in/checkout).

We have those in the UK too, to "check in" cafes etc. Pretty much nobody uses them, which is part of the reason the whole tracing effort was basically abandoned.

They are mandatory here with heavy fines if the premises are found to not use them properly.

It also helps that cases are so rare here that you can have a public list of places they visited while infectious for the public to monitor.

I'd say just by subjective observation that lockdown and limited staff availability have done a huge amount to take QR to ubiquity more than anything else.

It’s now as simple as can be - the basic camera app on most phone is enough to use QR codes, but it seems it’s not natural, apart from specific usecases.

https://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/

9 years old.

> I scanned and ended up on a parked domain name.

Another "attack" is simply to print and stick a different QR code on top of a public one. Then you could redirect unsuspecting users to a malicious or advert website. The fact that this isn't done tells me nobody really scans public QR codes...

Sounds like you'd be familiar with Munzee. For anyone who doesn't know, it's like Geocaching, but instead of a container with a logbook, you look for a QR code and scan it to log a find.

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