Many Americans not aware of being tracked with facial recognition while shopping

Post by norov » Mon, Aug 16, 2021, 4:48 PM UTC

opportune wrote: post #133

mbg721 wrote: post #55

Kroger has felt especially intrusive for a couple of decades; it's almost as though they're going out of their way to be manipulative and creepy, right from the store layout where Pepsi is $87.00 at your feet and Coke is $0.75 at eye level, down to the personalized coupons they send you in the mail. But the big stores that don't have loyalty cards are still slurping up data; they just get it from your credit card and…

I hate the idea of facial recognition tech being used like this but I really don’t mind loyalty cards/using credit cards to track spending as long as the data is only used by the stores themselves (and not also sold wholesale to the highest bidders, which I bet it is). I think it’s fair for them to gather analytics on spending habits and use it to make decisions on how to stock their store, run promotions, etc. Same…

Post by reedjosh » Mon, Aug 16, 2021, 4:51 PM UTC

beambot wrote: post #147

reedjosh wrote: post #131

This to me is part of a general trend wherein only those with the awareness and resources required will have privacy. For example, if you do have the funds, send a private shopper. But an even more direct example is skipping the discounts associated with club cards for privacy reasons. This will further entrench the class divide between the wealthy and the rest of us.

Unless your private shopper is paying cash, your privacy is probably still illusive.

Post by oramit » Mon, Aug 16, 2021, 4:53 PM UTC

eat_veggies wrote: post #125

oramit wrote: post #116

I'm honestly perplexed by the discussion here. Why should I care that a grocery store is using this? They already have camera systems - what is it about feeding that data into a facial recognition algorithm that is so awful? They want to identify who their customers are and already do a good job of it with loyalty cards. I often have to show my ID when I buy beer. I'm in a public place where I have no expectation of…

You don't think there is a qualitative difference between your security footage getting recorded -- maybe watched by a security guard half-paying attention -- and then written over, versus having it analyzed, tracked, and stored for an unknowable amount of time? Or a difference between having the option of presenting your loyalty card, versus having your face implicitly being your loyalty card, with no way of knowing…

Post by reedjosh » Mon, Aug 16, 2021, 4:54 PM UTC

cronix wrote: post #150

reedjosh wrote: post #131

This to me is part of a general trend wherein only those with the awareness and resources required will have privacy. For example, if you do have the funds, send a private shopper. But an even more direct example is skipping the discounts associated with club cards for privacy reasons. This will further entrench the class divide between the wealthy and the rest of us.

> But an even more direct example is skipping the discounts associated with club cards for privacy reasons. Right, but most still pay with a credit/debit card when checking out which gives the cc/bank the same info. At least with a store club card they only know what you purchase in that store/chain, instead of every store.

Post by swiley » Mon, Aug 16, 2021, 4:59 PM UTC

teawrecks wrote: post #149

swiley wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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And maintain/pay for an email server.