Don't Post Your Pass

A clear photo of an event credential is enough to forge one, so accreditation has to be designed on the assumption that it will be photographed.

A clear photo of a staff pass gives a forger most of what they need. This guide shows how to design event accreditation on the assumption that it will be photographed. It covers a new design for each edition, zone codes that hide their meaning, photo IDs, gate scans and a posting rule for everyone on site.

Event accreditation is the system of passes that decides who may enter each part of a site. It is built to be read at a glance. That is also why one clear photo is enough to copy it. So design every pass on the assumption that someone will photograph it and post it online. Then a photo stops being a key.

One photo is enough

Staff passes turn up online all the time. A new crew member is proud to work the show and shares a photo on LinkedIn or Instagram. If the photo is sharp, every detail on the pass can be read.

The risk is highest from someone who knows the event. A past contractor or a former steward knows which pass opens which door. A fresh photo shows them exactly what this year's pass looks like.

A photo shows the layout, the colors, the type, the zone marks and the lanyard. If the design repeats every edition, a forger has a full year to prepare.

Change the design every edition

Treat the design as a key that expires. Change the color scheme, the layout and at least one hard-to-copy element at each edition. Approve the final design late and print it close to the event. Keep the final art out of public documents. Exhibitor manuals and crew packs can describe the pass without showing it.

Print features help, such as a hologram, ultraviolet ink or tiny printed lines called microtext. They only work if gate staff know what to look for. Show stewards a real pass at their briefing and name the feature to check.

Zone codes that hide their meaning

Many passes spell out their own power. Words like "all areas" or "backstage" tell anyone who sees a photo which pass to copy. Use numbers, shapes or colors instead. Keep the key that links each code to a zone with gate staff and supervisors only. Change the key at each edition.

Then draw the zones on the site plan. Every controlled door, gate and stair gets a zone code and a list of the passes it accepts. The plan shows where checks must happen. The briefing pack gives each steward only the list for the point they check.

• 1. Area on the plan: Public areas. Who holds it: Guests and all staff. Checked at: Main entrances.
• 2. Area on the plan: Build areas in the halls. Who holds it: Exhibitors and contractors. Checked at: Hall doors during build.
• 3. Area on the plan: Back of house. Who holds it: Crew, catering, security. Checked at: Service corridors.
• 4. Area on the plan: Stage and control. Who holds it: Production crew, named talent. Checked at: Stage door and stage stairs.
• 5. Area on the plan: Secure rooms. Who holds it: Named people only. Checked at: The room door, with a name list.

The table is an example. Set your own codes, and change them each edition.

Photo ID and a scan at the gate

A printed photo ties a pass to one face. Use photos for staff, crew and anyone with access past the public zone. A steward then checks the face against the photo, not just the color.

Add a code that is checked against a live list at each controlled gate. It can be a barcode, a QR code or an RFID chip, which is a small radio tag read without contact. A copied code then fails, or shows that the real holder is already inside. A lost pass can be cancelled at once and a new one printed.

Scans also leave a record. After an incident, the team can see which pass went through which gate, and when.

Start, end and lost passes

Give each pass a life. It starts on a set date, ends on a set date and works only in its zones. Collect or cancel passes at the end of each person's last shift. Cancel every code when the event closes, so an old pass is just plastic.

Tell staff to take passes off when they leave the site. A pass worn on a train or in a bar is a photo waiting to happen.

The posting rule for staff, crew and exhibitors

Give everyone one rule before the show. Put it in the crew briefing, the exhibitor manual and the welcome email. Here is wording to copy.

"Please do not post photos of your pass, wristband or lanyard, before, during or after the event. If your pass is in a photo, turn it around or crop it out. If you see someone else's pass online, tell the security team."

Make the rule easy to keep. A photo spot with a backdrop gives people something better to post than their badge.

An event accreditation checklist

• New design and a new zone key for this edition.
• Final art kept out of public documents.
• Zone codes drawn on the site plan, with a list for every controlled point.
• A photo on every pass beyond the public zone.
• Codes scanned against a live list at controlled gates.
• A way to cancel lost passes at once.
• The posting rule sent to staff, crew, exhibitors and suppliers.
• Every code cancelled when the event closes.

Assume the photo

A pass that cannot survive a photo is not secure. Change it often, hide what it means and check it against a list.

Frequently asked questions

What is event accreditation?

Event accreditation is the system of passes that controls who may enter each area of an event. Staff, crew, exhibitors, media and talent get passes for their zones. Stewards check them at doors and gates. Good accreditation ties each pass to one person and one set of zones.

How do you stop fake passes at an event?

Change the design every edition and keep the final art private. Use zone codes that do not explain themselves, put a photo on staff passes and scan each pass against a live list at controlled gates. A copied code then fails, or shows that its holder is already inside.

Why should staff not post photos of their passes?

A clear photo shows the layout, colors, zone marks and lanyard of a pass. That is most of what a forger needs, especially if the design is the same every year. Ask staff to turn the pass around or crop it out of any photo.

What should a staff pass show?

A staff pass should show the holder's photo and name, a zone code that only staff can read, and a scannable code tied to a live list. It should not spell out its access in plain words. Change its look each edition.

Accreditation zones only work if every controlled door is on the plan. Monet builds to-scale layouts on a real venue plan and exports them to DWG, DXF and PDF, so the security team can mark zones on the same drawing the crew uses.