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Purchases being private (lemmy.today)

submitted 3 weeks ago by tal@lemmy.today to c/casualconversation@piefed.social

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I just went to get a sandwich. The ordering is (optionally) done via kiosk. This time, the kiosk started suggesting items for me based on what I'd purchased before. I was initially puzzled as to how it could recognize me prior to any identifying information being input, then realized that there was a small camera embedded in the kiosk, and that it must have done facial recognition.

Identifying customers isn't new; I understand that facial recognition has been used by grocery stores for loss prevention, to help flag people likely to steal things. But I wasn't aware that it'd reached the point of sticking all purchases into a database, regardless of the usual methods to obtain a unique identifier, like loyalty cards or obtaining a phone number.

Assuming that this becomes the norm, short of wearing a mask

which is a pain, and runs into anti-masking laws in some areas

I don't see how one can realistically avoid having all of one's purchasing being placed into a store's database for data-mining. That kind of bugs me

I'd like to be able to do stuff like purchase a sandwich without having the store profile me.

Thoughts? Ways to counter it? Okay with this/not okay?

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[–] over_clox@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago

Now you know where the camera is, just hold your hand over your face long enough to put a piece of electrical tape over it.

If you're worried you'll get in trouble, just remove the tape as you leave. If you actually do get in trouble, protest that it's your right to privacy, and you've done no damage to the equipment.

Or just take a laser or mini torch to the camera, that's up to you, I won't tell..