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'Facial recognition' error message on vending machine sparks concern at University of Waterloo (kitchener.ctvnews.ca)

submitted 9 months ago by Ninjazzon@infosec.pub to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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A set of smart vending machines at the University of Waterloo is expected to be removed from campus after students raised privacy concerns about their software.

The machines have M&M artwork on them and sell chocolate and other candy. They are located throughout campus, including in the Modern Languages building and Hagey Hall.

Earlier this month, a student noticed an error message on one of the machines in the Modern Languages building. It appeared to indicate there was a problem with a facial recognition application.

"We wouldn't have known if it weren't for the application error. There's no warning here," said River Stanley, a fourth-year student, who investigated the machines for an article in the university publication, mathNEWS.

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[-] ICastFist@programming.dev 12 points 9 months ago

Privacy as a human right is, indeed, new. The concept and the desire for it is old. Doing things and not wanting to get caught is as old as walking forward. What, you think the idea of cheating a romantic partner is new? That every military in history and prehistory exchanged letters with one another, saying what they were doing? That every important and "important" person always exposed everything they did and thought to everyone?

Also, keep in mind there's a significant number of serious journalists that need privacy in order to do their job of exposing crimes. I can already see you replying "They wouldn't need to do that if everything was public". True, but that would also mean that tyrants and wannabe tyrants would have incredible ease in killing everyone they disliked.

[-] Aux@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago

Well, you said it yourself - you only need privacy to commit a crime or to cheat on someone. Privacy should NOT exist!

[-] ICastFist@programming.dev 0 points 9 months ago

Huh, I didn't know preparing surprises (parties, gifts, trips) was a crime. Today I Learned /s

[-] Aux@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Huh, I didn't know that cheating on a romantic partner or starting a war was just preparing a surprise (parties, gifts, trips). Today I Learned, not /s

this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2024

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