QR codes

QR codes are increasingly used in phishing attacks ('quishing') where scammers redirect users to malicious sites via dynamic codes. Physical QR code replacements in restaurants also steal payment data by intercepting digital transactions.

Georgia will continue using QR codes for vote counting in the 2022 midterm elections after lawmakers passed legislation to delay reforms until 2028. The decision maintains a method that has faced criticism.

Coke and Pepsi are introducing QR codes on their beverages that link to a website providing information on over 140 ingredients and their nutritional content.

Georgia Democrats oppose a bill requiring hand recounts of ballots in the 2022 midterm elections, which Republicans in the Georgia Senate approved as part of legislation to retain ballot QR codes. The bill delays a deadline for replacing QR codes but introduces a hand recount for key races, raising concerns about error rates and election chaos.

Georgia Democrats oppose a Senate amendment requiring hand recounts for top races in November, which was added to a bill extending the deadline to phase out ballot QR codes. The amendment faces criticism for risking election chaos and errors, while Republicans argue it enhances voter confidence. Georgia's current system uses QR codes, which have been criticized by Trump and election advocates.

A bill extending Georgia’s deadline to stop using QR codes on ballots to 2028 passed the Senate after partisan debate. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Max Burns, mandates hand recounts for top races, establishes a voting system selection committee, and requires additional post-election audits. Democrats opposed the bill, arguing it could delay certification and fuel election disputes.

Georgia Republican lawmakers Jon Burns and Larry Walker announced they will not pursue redistricting efforts during a special session, citing pending legal cases. They shifted focus to property tax relief, gas tax suspension, and a July 1 deadline for removing QR codes from ballots.

Georgia lawmakers advanced a bill to delay removing QR codes from ballots until 2028, passing it through the Senate Ethics Committee in an 8-4 vote. The bill aims to address a funding shortfall for updating voting equipment, which currently relies on Dominion Voting Systems' ballot-marking devices. The measure follows failed attempts to resolve the issue during the 2026 legislative session.

Georgia lawmakers are delaying changes to the state's current vote-counting method, which uses QR codes, ahead of this year's midterm elections. The decision leaves the system in place for now.

Georgia lawmakers face a July 1 deadline to address the state's election system, which uses QR codes for ballot counting. A 2024 law prohibits QR codes after July, but prior legislative sessions failed to allocate the $66 million needed for new equipment. An alternate proposal to extend the deadline to 2028 passed the House in 2026 but stalled in the Senate, leaving the issue unresolved.

Georgia’s State Election Board passed a resolution allowing counties to use hand-marked paper ballots ahead of the 2026 general election, conflicting with the secretary of state’s guidance requiring continued use of current voting machines. The non-binding 3-1 vote aims to address potential delays in updating the state’s ballot QR code system under Senate Bill 189, which prohibits QR codes for official counts after July 1. The resolution contradicts instructions from Elections Director Blake Evans, who emphasized counties must follow existing procedures.

ShadowCat is a new browser-based tool that enables file transfer through QR codes. The project was shared on Hacker News and has generated initial interest with 20 points and 6 comments.

Governor Brian Kemp announced a June special session in Georgia to address redistricting for state and congressional districts and to revise the state's ballot QR code system. The move follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act and a 2024 state law banning QR code use for official ballot counts after July 1.

The state of Georgia has banned the use of QR codes for elections due to conspiracy theories, leading to uncertainty in ballot counting. The ban is based on claims made by a man who has promoted false information about Israel and 9/11. This decision may impact the upcoming midterms.