Big Brother watching through a data service

Seneca can now track where its visitors come from, how long they stay, and which events they attend.  It’s all possible, the city administrator says, through the city’s arrangement with the Placer data service.  Administrator Moulder last night demonstrated for the city council some of the demographics of their visitors – most recently how many went to the July 4 celebration at Gignilliat Field.  Another example:  numbers that show as many as 46 thousand people who viewed the city’s downtown Christmas lights last year.  Placer data also pegged a makeshift crowd that gathered at a By-Pass parking lot the night of July 4 to watch fireworks display at nearby Gignilliat.  City council members were impressed.  Councilwoman Lakesha Benson expressed the hope that city merchants will be able to access some of the data to help them market their products.