1y ago

Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of college students

arstechnica.com

World News @beehaw.org

Powderhorn @beehaw.org

1y ago

Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of college students

arstechnica.com /tech-policy/2024/02/vending-machine-error-reveals-secret-face-image-database-of-college-students/

Technology @lemmy.world

stopthatgirl7 @kbin.social

1y ago

Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of college students

arstechnica.com /tech-policy/2024/02/vending-machine-error-reveals-secret-face-image-database-of-college-students/

12 comments

Adaria Vending Services told MathNEWS that "what’s most important to understand is that the machines do not take or store any photos or images, and an individual person cannot be identified using the technology in the machines. The technology acts as a motion sensor that detects faces, so the machine knows when to activate the purchasing interface—never taking or storing images of customers."
"You should totally trust us about this, even though we failed to disclose the use of facial recognition software upfront."
This company needs to develop some software to go fuck itself.
- If it’s just a motion sensor why not use a fucking motion sensor instead? It’s way cheaper than any kind of actual camera, not to mention ones that are able to do facial recognition. Such an obvious lie and poorly thought out excuse
- Wait so it just recognizes any face? Like the cameras at the walmart checkout that just go "yep thats a face slap a green box on that bitch" and thats it?
  
  Nope:
  Stanley sounded alarm after consulting Invenda sales brochures that promised "the machines are capable of sending estimated ages and genders" of every person who used the machines without ever requesting consent.
  Adaria Vending Services is clearly being deceptive, and what I and most non-corporate brainrotted people would consider straight-up dishonest, in the quote I posted above.
  That's why I suggested they can go fuck themselves. I hope they lose a shit ton of money over this.
  Edit: I see now that you found the same part of the article. In my defense, I only saw your comment in my inbox, but I should have checked the thread lol
  
  Stanley sounded alarm after consulting Invenda sales brochures that promised "the machines are capable of sending estimated ages and genders" of every person who used the machines without ever requesting consent.
  From the article ^ so I stand corrected.
- Maybe we just tape a picture of a face to the machine and it will always have bad data.
Brendan just wants to serve you better
- I still haven't found him yet! DON'T TELL ME WHERE HE IS! I want it to be organic.
Because of fucking course it did.
- But that would destroy all the chocolate. Best to just smash it open.
  
  And once you've emptied it of all it's goodies, then blow up the machine!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The Reddit post sparked an investigation from a fourth-year student named River Stanley, who was writing for a university publication called MathNEWS.
Where Cadillac Fairview was ultimately forced to delete the entire database, Stanley wrote that consequences for collecting similarly sensitive facial recognition data without consent for Invenda clients like Mars remain unclear.
Stanley's report ended with a call for students to demand that the university "bar facial recognition vending machines from campus."
Some students claimed on Reddit that they attempted to cover the vending machine cameras while waiting for the school to respond, using gum or Post-it notes.
The technology acts as a motion sensor that detects faces, so the machine knows when to activate the purchasing interface—never taking or storing images of customers."
It was only after closing a $7 million funding round, including deals with Mars and other major clients like Coca-Cola, that Invenda could push for expansive global growth that seemingly vastly expands its smart vending machines' data collection and surveillance opportunities.
The original article contains 806 words, the summary contains 166 words. Saved 79%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

12 comments