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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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[-] vox@sopuli.xyz 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

beuh, they obviously mean that the biometric data is stored and processed locally, not the data that results from that processing.
i mean that's still kinda creepy but you're making it seem like they didn't obviously admit to it in the original sentence.

this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2024

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