A photo shared on Reddit showed one of the vending machines with an error code suggesting it used facial-recognition tech.
  • The University of Waterloo is expected to remove smart vending machines from its campus.
  • A student discovered an error code that suggested the machines used facial-recognition technology.
  • Vending Services said the technology didn’t take or store customers’ photos.
  • betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    9 months ago

    At least in the case covered by the article, they don’t appear to be doing that:

    … the director of technology services for Adaria Vending Services[1] told MathNews that “an individual person cannot be identified using the technology in the machines.”

    Still possible if they’re being less-than-perfectly-honest in that statement, they invest more into the technology or with another machine/company somewhere else.

    1

    … the smart vending machines… [are] provided by Adaria Vending Services and manufactured by Invenda Group.

    • SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world
      2·
      9 months ago

      Oh definitely isn’t, just an example of how it can be used. I’ve seen it used in plants to administer safety gear so people don’t use a dozen gloves a week, even though it’s free and provided.