Someone brought this accidental QR Code usage to my attention last August, but thanks to Fred Trotter, O’Reilly Radar’s open source health blogger, who happened to be flying through Orlando recently, I now have photographic proof!

In his post, The Transportation Security Administration’s QR Code flub, Fred speculates on the ease with which published QR Codes could be hijacked with stickers—and wonders if that was the case here. Think how trivial it would be for an “Anonymous” band of individuals to surreptitiously sticker over TSA QR Codes with ones that link to Bruce Schneier articles. This is the stuff of cyberpunk fiction!

Unfortunately the truth in this case is far more benign. My QR Code was accidentally used as a stand-in by whomever designed the poster, and was never checked before it went to press—not to mention anytime in the four months since it’s been on display.

Wait. Why does that QR Code go to justinsomnia.org?