Tesco To Use Face Detection Technology For In-Store Advertising

TinTops writes "Tesco has sparked privacy concerns following its decision to install technology that scans shoppers' faces in order to display video advertising on screens at its petrol stations. The UK's privacy watchdog the ICO is looking into the technology. This is the first national rollout of the system, known as OptimEyes, which claims to recognize facial characteristics that determine a customer's gender and age in order to show more relevant video adverts on screens as they queue at the till. Simon Sugar, chief executive of Amscreen, the firm which sells the technology, has admitted it has connotations of science fiction, but is looking to increase its reach further. 'Yes, it's like something out of Minority Report, but this could change the face of British retail and our plans are to expand the screens into as many supermarkets as possible,' he said."

Comments

Re:sensationalism

[gstoddart]

This is not facial recognition attached to a database of faces.

Not yet.

And in an age of big data and massive government surveillance, I have little faith it won't be before long.

You either need to pass laws concerning it now, or in 5 years (or less) what you say isn't happening will be common place and it will be too late.

Cacklings of a Supervillain

[GameboyRMH]

Simon Sugar, chief executive of Amscreen, the firm which sells the technology, has admitted it has connotations of science fiction, but is looking to increase its reach further. 'Yes, it's like something out of Minority Report, but this could change the face of British retail and our plans are to expand the screens into as many supermarkets as possible,' he said."

That is the worst-failed attempt at reassurance I've ever read 8-(