Too many American stores are already using facial recognition to spy on their customers. They don't deserve your business.
Conversely, a number of chains have pledged not to use it.
Here's a helpful listing, with suggestions on action you can take to help rid our culture of rampant use -- and guaranteed abuse -- of this pestilent technology.
@dangillmor another reason to mask when in public places :)
Maybe also start a collection of false eyebrows ...
@dangillmor Doesn't bother me. Until a shop chooses to guarantee zero covid exposure I won't be there anyway.
@TimWardCam @dangillmor That sounds like a good idea, but how can a shop or any venue guarantee that...?
@evilmicrowizard @dangillmor That's up to them. If they choose not to then I choose not to be a customer.
@TimWardCam @dangillmor I'm not familiar with any method of doing that for all customers that doesn't involve closing the business entirely, though...?
There's the possibility of reducing risk for you to zero by banning you from the business, I suppose? (Which is effectively the same as what you declared previously, but on their part?)
@evilmicrowizard @dangillmor We will patronise establishments like pubs or tea shops where we don't have to go indoors. Not in nasty winter weather, of course.
@dangillmor I just don't shop in person anymore, I use online shopping where I can control the personal data that gets accessed from my computer.
Jan 3, 2024, 12:23 PM@dangillmor Shout out to Lowes, Costco, REI, and Staples (all places I shop) for pledging not to use face recognition!
@chiraag @dangillmor me too, yay!
Jan 3, 2024, 2:02 PMSame. I don't spend a lot of time in chain stores but those are some of the few I do. And this is more reason to stay out of the other ones.
@dangillmor This is a great list and worthwhile effort but the site design is awful for accessibility.
If you visit that website and are prone to headaches/visual disturbances caused by flashing lights, scroll down quickly!!
@dangillmor ack what. Luckily it looks like my favorite stores won't use it.
@dangillmor I'd be curious what % of the "won't use" companies already *did* use, and found it was expensive and useless?
Jan 3, 2024, 4:21 PM@DreamsAndLogic @dangillmor
A lot of retail CCTV schemes are still from the 90s and 2000s and may even still use analogue cameras - I suspect some companies worked out the cost of upgrading the cameras and DVR for facial recognition is way more than the actual cost of any shoplifting or the value of any marketing data that would be gained..
@dangillmor interesting. That page lists Lowe's as "won't use". Assuming the site is referring to Lowes hardware (not Lowe's grocery or some other Lowe's), I am wondering how they square that with the facial recognition monitor installed prominently over the customer service counter at the location I visit 🤔
@dangillmor Our rural marina community started using a license plate reader on our single road last year as a security measure to deter crime. It ties into a national police database of vehicles and incident reports. I added facial recognition to the separate community video security system this month just because I had to renew the contract and it is included in the commercial security software package. I understand some people don’t like it. But it’s the future, and I’m not going to fight it.
@dangillmor
Valuable info on facial recognition tech
Home Depot-using
Lowe's-won't use
Albertsons-using
Kroger-won't use
Wal Mart-using
Target-won't use
Kind of what you'd expect.