The complexity is likely a product of redundancy and error correction in the QR code rather than making it unique. You begin to run into issues with camera resolution and whatnot, but in theory those codes are likely more reliable.
You've done nothing but vaguely gesture at the concept of hard work, Brokovich and Silkwood. You'll have to forgive me if you've forced me to draw a point out of your vagueries - feel free to articulate one though.
You understand what a hilariously stupid position it is to insist that any action is invalid if it doesn't follow the actions of these two specific people, and that anyone that doesn't know Erin Brokovich didn't pass the bar before starting her action has an invalid opinion, don't you. I shouldn't need to point this out, nor should I need to point out the importance of diversity of tactics, but here I am.
So we rely on isolated groups quietly engaged in direct action at a scale we know for a fact is inadequate to solve the problem while calling for the arrest of people protesting the apocalypse in a manner that can be cleaned up in five minutes?
People throwing soup to protest climate change are doing more environmental damage than people burning fossil fuels in the dirtiest way possible because that's their gender identity or whateverthefuck? You'll need to explain that one for me, champ.
The idiots aren't the ones throwing the soup - the idiots are the ones more concerned about jailing people for a mess that can be cleaned up with windex, a rag, and 5 minutes rather than jailing the people keeping us all on course for the literal apocalypse.
Mass data harvesting, inevitable data breach - oh look, you have genetic markers for some degenerative condition, and for some reason you're now suddenly getting booted off your insurance and refused coverage.