Feeling Badgered

[kevin_standlee]

Prior to last night's BASFA meeting, much deconstruction of the fannish train wreck that was Con-X-Treme happened. Among the foolish things the convention reportedly did was to use wristbands for admission rather than badges, and to require that every member have their photo taken, and that photo was made part of their convention membership credentials. When I expressed extreme incredulity that a convention would do what I consider such an incredibly stupid thing, jorhett (who I should make it clear neither worked on Con-X-Treme nor was even there at the con and didn't even know it was happening) told me that having a photograph as part of your membership badge -- to make it "impossible" to share badges -- was standard operating procedure at "East Coast" cons.

I said, "When did that start? I've attended Boskone, and they don't do that there."

The reply: "Boskone? Is that in Boston? Well, I meant south of New York."

I raised an eyebrow, "So Massachusetts isn't on the American East Coast?"

But I digress. I find the idea that you would have to have a photo-badge to attend a convention absurd, for many reasons, but most notably because of what it tells me about the organizers' priorities. See this posting from last year and read my article "Feeling Badgered" in Argentus #6. In that article, I set out what I consider the main criteria for a convention membership badges are, and I make ticket-to-admit the second priority, not the first.

In my opinion. photo-badges for all members sets ticket-to-admit priority to stratospheric, and everything else to insignificant. It sets off all of my hot buttons. I know that Lisa isn't the only person I know who would refuse to attend a convention that required photo-badges for all attendees. Remember, I'm someone who doesn't think you should have to show government-issued photographic ID to collect your membership if you have one of the good alternatives such as your original membership receipt or convention publications received by mail or can be personally identified by a trusted convention staff member. I detest the "your papers pliz" culture that we've become.

Note that there are certain specific applications where a photo badge is justified. I wouldn't issue them to the entire convention staff and committee, but if there are certain very sensitive areas -- in particular ones where the Treasury Office That Does Not Exist is located -- there might be some justification for a small number of photo-badges, particularly if security is being provided by paid guards who don't know who the individuals involved are.

But requiring every member of the convention to have their photo taken and that photo appear on their convention badge or other token-of-admission-to-event? Not for me.

Edit, 13:50: Clarified that the person who brought up the photo-badges issue as "routine at east coast cons" was neither associated with Con-X-Treme nor attended it. My apologies if my earlier wording implied otherwise.

Comments

Re: sets off your hot buttons

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

I believe that the only purpose of putting someone's photograph on a badge is to deter membership badge fraud. The amount of extra work necessary to do this IMO exceeds the amount of money you save in badge fraud, and in fact may lose money from another source because people who resent this action aren't coming.

If the convention organizer going to that much effort, then the only significant purpose a badge has to the organizer is as an admission token. None of the other reasons is significant. Indeed, I think in those circumstances they'd be better off using hospital wristbands anyway.

Re: sets off your hot buttons

[jorhett.livejournal.com]

I believe that the only purpose of putting someone's photograph on a badge is to deter membership badge fraud. The amount of extra work necessary to do this IMO exceeds the amount of money you save in badge fraud, and in fact may lose money from another source because people who resent this action aren't coming.

Now *THIS* is the meat of the argument, and well worth discussing. To have that discussion, we'd have to sit down with some real numbers and discuss them. Sounds like a good thing to do in person, because online dialogs can turn into rants too quickly. I'm not the best online person, I tend to come off too black/white...

If the convention organizer going to that much effort, then the only significant purpose a badge has to the organizer is as an admission token. None of the other reasons is significant.

And here's your reaction talking again. I have actually been to a con which used picture badges that were near-useless for identification. The organizer was having fun with some modern special effects, and *EVERYONE* had many a good laugh about the pictures over the weekend.

C'mon, Kevin, you're smarter than this. I really do hope you find a calm space about this topic someday. (more for my curiosity in the useful outcome of a discussion of this type than any practical effect, because the chance of getting me to be involved in running a Con is somewhere lower than the chance of Pres Bush giving a damn what the american public feel about his policies)

Re: sets off your hot buttons

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

It is because I have been organizing conventions for over twenty years that I feel so strongly about this subject. I do not organize gate shows or pop-culture events where everyone buys a ticket.* I organize community gatherings for people with a common interest in SF, fantasy, and related subjects. I want things that improve that community, not things that tell the members from the moment they arrive, "You're out to rip us off and steal services from us, and our job is to go to any length to prevent you from doing so."

I don't want anyone showing up who just wants a ticket to gawk at the funny-looking people. That's not why I started attending conventions, and I believe in running them to suit myself, to cater to a relatively like-minded set of people. Yes, I suppose that's "elitist" by one definition. But I don't get paid to organize conventions, so I don't see any reason not to try and organize them the way I want them organized.

____________________
*This doesn't mean there might not be pieces of a convention where a separate ticket might be required for various reasons, usually capacity-related. The general rule doesn't override specific exceptions.

Re: sets off your hot buttons

[jorhett.livejournal.com]

I want things that improve that community, not things that tell the members from the moment they arrive, "You're out to rip us off and steal services from us, and our job is to go to any length to prevent you from doing so."

Me too, and I agree with you on everything to some extent. But I think that rational discussion of this issue is impossible at this. Hopefully someday.

Re: sets off your hot buttons

[sethb.livejournal.com]

How much effort need it be? Consider a convention that prints all the badges on the spot (as a number do now, with varying degrees of appropriate technology). Adding a digital camera to the process needn't be that expensive: 1 extra staffer to do it, the camera is borrowed and tethered, and since the badge is being computer-generated and printed on the spot, no other extra effort.

If the person's name is printed in large clear type, then clearly "identifying to others" is an important point.

Suppose that were the most important issue, and preventing badge sharing/stealing were a close second. How would you do the latter?

Re: sets off your hot buttons

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

If badge sharing/stealing is getting to be that much of a problem, then you've already lost the battle. Focusing on technical solutions is treating symptoms, not causes. People should not feel like stealing services from their fellow fans is something they should do. Their friends should not be letting them do it.

I am not a paragon of virtue. I borrowed someone's badge at a convention at which I was not a member, because the person I was trying to find was in a controlled area, the person loaning me the badge couldn't leave the spot he was in, and this was pre-mobile-phone, so the easiest way to get him was to go into the controlled area, find him, and leave. And even then I felt very guilty about doing it.

If a convention organizer decides that photo badges serve that convention's goals in the way they want to run it, that's fine. After all, I'm all for the people doing the work being the ones to make the decisions. But they won't do it with my money or my participation. That's not the community of which I consider myself a member.