I've known about QR codes (Quick Response) for a number of years now, but was surprised when the local news media broadcasted a report about them as though they were brand new. Worse yet, they spent less time informing the public about how they can be used to promote local business and more time in scare tactics.

QR codes, in case you didn't already know, where created by Toyota to track vehicle parts and soon became widespread in commercial advertising all over Japan. The square codes can be seen hardlinking on billboards, store signs, business cards, just about every flat surface. Here in the US, at least where I live, the symbols have not gained as much popularity.

In my local community, thanks to the media, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the townies feared the codes now. They were warned that scanning the codes with your smartphone could open your device to a myriad of viruses and other unwanted content. Nice tactics, the barcode reading software only translates the scanned code into the alphanumeric text embedded in the coding, it doesn't do anything with the translation; that's up to the human!

It is completely up the holder of the smartphone to click on any translated hyperlink and follow the address with their mobile browser. Much more useful information would be to advise the public to be comfortable scanning QR codes from trusted sources, ie store chains, professional billboards, city metro advertising, but if you do not recognize the web address that the code is wanting you to visit, then don't go there!