Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

politico.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 47 posts

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#21

Post by chrisjj »

c22 wrote: post #13
bloomingeek wrote: post #6

We were in our local Target store yesterday. My wife purchased some OTC cough syrup, the self check out register wanted an employee for confirmation she was the proper age. (We're in our sixty's.) Instead of just looking at her driver's license, he used his handheld device to scan the license! I would never allow this, myself.

I've found using a passport card for ID instead of a driver's license to have several advantages, including that most places seem to be unable to scan it.

But will those places accept it unscanned? I imagine there's a staff trust issue here.

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#22

Post by schiffern »

jtokoph wrote: post #15
TYPE_FASTER wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Federal law requires retailers of drugs containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenlypropanolamine to record the buyer's name and address and keep the records for two years ( https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/legal-requi... ). While there is no federal law restricting the sale of medications containing Dextromethorphan, a common cough suppressant, US states have started regulating sales of the…

In California, the pharmacy computer queries some state database to log the purchase and get approval. If you buy too much too quickly your purchase will be blocked. My closest pharmacy “loses its connection to the system” frequently which results in them being unable to sell me the medicine. The computer will refuse to ring it up.

Plot twist, for employee safety the store policy is to always say "lost connection, sorry" when the system detects suspicious purchasing patterns.

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#23

Post by chrisjj »

morninglight wrote: post #12

In order to read their tale about surveillance, Politico tells you to "SIGN IN". They want you to give them your email, employer's name and your job title. Is this some kind of joke? Or are these people actually that stupid?

> Or are these people actually that stupid?

Or simply they judge enough of their readers to be that stupid.

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#24

Post by MrFots »

butlike wrote: post #17
SoftTalker wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Target scans IDs for any purchase that requires them (e.g. alcohol). Charitably, I guess they want to be able to prove in any kind of audit or claim that they are selling alcohol to minors that they are checking IDs for such purchases. Uncharitably, it all goes into their customer profile database.

So only ever buy condoms and duct tape from Target. Got it.

No. Buy nothing from them. Keep up the boycott.

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#26

Post by [deleted] »

john_strinlai wrote: post #7
bloomingeek wrote: post #6

We were in our local Target store yesterday. My wife purchased some OTC cough syrup, the self check out register wanted an employee for confirmation she was the proper age. (We're in our sixty's.) Instead of just looking at her driver's license, he used his handheld device to scan the license! I would never allow this, myself.

> Instead of just looking at her driver's license, he used his handheld device to scan the license! depending on what is in the cough syrup, they arent using the scanner to verify age. they are tracking who makes the purchase, so if a bunch of meth or whatever gets cooked up, they have a list of suspects.

[deleted]

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#27

Post by ProllyInfamous »

c22 wrote: post #13
bloomingeek wrote: post #6

We were in our local Target store yesterday. My wife purchased some OTC cough syrup, the self check out register wanted an employee for confirmation she was the proper age. (We're in our sixty's.) Instead of just looking at her driver's license, he used his handheld device to scan the license! I would never allow this, myself.

I've found using a passport card for ID instead of a driver's license to have several advantages, including that most places seem to be unable to scan it.

Not only does a US Passport card NOT scan, it also does not contain your address. Added bonus that it is not scanable.

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#28

Post by ProllyInfamous »

chrisjj wrote: post #21
c22 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've found using a passport card for ID instead of a driver's license to have several advantages, including that most places seem to be unable to scan it.

But will those places accept it unscanned? I imagine there's a staff trust issue here.

Yes, but sometimes requires manager override.

When that doesn't work for me, I simply say "I just won't purchase it, then" — and then it get$ $canned.

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#29

Post by kittikitti »

I have a friend whose nearest grocery store is surrounded by Flock "safety" cameras. The police and security in the retail or grocery stores regularly share data and logins, and this extends across multiple states. He says it's been brought up in mundane traffic court and affected his ability to enroll his children into schools. Not only that, but his ability to seek legal guidance is hindered since the state can easily produce suspicious evidence on a whim against him.

It seems like anyone with even a cursory role can access this information and abuse it. It's ridiculous that this is happening. I think a sizable number of people on Hacker News actually support these systems and if you're one of them, please keep yourself safe.

Re: The next fight over the use of facial recognition could be in the supermarkets

#30

Post by [deleted] »

butlike wrote: post #17
SoftTalker wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Target scans IDs for any purchase that requires them (e.g. alcohol). Charitably, I guess they want to be able to prove in any kind of audit or claim that they are selling alcohol to minors that they are checking IDs for such purchases. Uncharitably, it all goes into their customer profile database.

So only ever buy condoms and duct tape from Target. Got it.

[deleted]
Post reply on HN