PII & QR Codes: How to keep your information safe
Learn how to safeguard your clients' personal information when creating QR Codes, as well as our PII promise.
You may see QR Codes across the US in retail, healthcare, events, marketing campaigns, and everyday digital interactions.
As QR technology becomes more common, users want to know what information is collected, what counts as PII, and how to protect their personal data when interacting with QR Codes.
Find out how we ensure secure, responsible data management below:
What is Personally Identifiable Information (PII)?
PII is any information that reveals an individual's identity, whether directly or combined with other elements. In alignment with US privacy standards, PII may include:
Email address
Full name
Phone number
Physical address
Precise location data
Device-specific identifiers
Any data that can reasonably identify a unique person
Some analytics, like general geographic region or broad scan location, may not be considered PII if they cannot be tied back to an identifiable individual.
Does scanning a QR Code share your PII?
Not always. To understand business performance, the creator of the QR Code may receive some info about you without knowing who you are.
Our dynamic QR Codes typically capture some information about you without knowing your identity. This information may include:
The type of device you use
Your operating system or browser
Your location (only if you grant access)
Number of scans
But PII may be collected if:
You submit personal information through a form linked to the QR Code
You share your email address to create an account or receive updates
You allow precise location access on your device
The QR-Codes.com promise
Your information is safe with us. We follow strict security protocols for all members, whether you are a free or enterprise user. We collect the minimum amount of personal data required to provide accurate analytics and improve your overall brand experience. You get to choose the extent of data we have access to.
Email addresses
When users subscribe to updates or interact with particular features, we collect their email addresses. We only use this information for service-related communication.
Scan location or address
When you scan a QR Code, we may collect:
General scan location like the city or region you're in
Address: if your device accepts location permissions
This data helps the QR Code creator understand where engagement comes from and how their campaigns perform in different locations.
How QR-Codes.com protects your information
We implement strict privacy practices to protect all information handled within our platform:
Secure storage and restricted access
Monitored and minimal internal data controls
No selling or sharing of PII without consent
Purpose-driven data collection
Our privacy rules align with US PII best practices to keep your data safe and used responsibly.
How can QR Code users stay safe from cybercrime?
Use HTTPS links
You can tell a site is secure by looking for the padlock symbol or 'HTTPS' in the search bar. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) uses encryption to safeguard the data exchanged between the browser and the server.
Only use reputable platforms
Reduce the amount of data you share online in general - not just when using QR Codes. We can guarantee the safety of your information when you use our platform but you may still be vulnerable to hackers elsewhere on the internet.