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Walmart Wants To Put Sensors On Everything So It Can Automatically Order You Stuff (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the consumption-habits dept.

According to a recently published patent spotted by CB Insights, Walmart "describes a system of connected sensors that could monitor customers' product consumption," reports The Verge. "The sensors would be attached to products and rely on a variety of technology, like radio frequencies, Bluetooth, conventional barcodes, and RFID tags." From the report: Walmart doesn't suggest that any one sensor type would work best; rather, it lays out its options. Apparently it has a lot of ideas: these tags would all track how often a product is used and where it's located in a home. They could also help Walmart figure out what other products it could market to users based off their purchases. A tag reader installed on a fridge, for example, could scan every item that goes inside. This reader could then track when food is going bad or needs to be reordered. On the other hand, an RFID system could figure out when a person is picking up their toothbrush and use that information to estimate how much toothpaste is left. It could then be automatically reordered.

3 of 106 comments (clear)

  1. Why this bullshit will be embraced. by geekmux · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This kind of invasive bullshit will be welcomed by the young, ignorant generation who fucking love [latest hipster tech], and will ignore anything Common F. Sense might have to say about privacy.

    Those who ignorantly dismiss an Orwellian prediction are doomed to create it.

    1. Re:Why this bullshit will be embraced. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I am reminded of a story I heard years ago [...]

      The American version is true and a textbook marketing example: Target mails a baby ad to a teenage girl. Father is furious to find ad in mailbox, goes to local Target store and screams at the manager. A few days later the father came back and apologized to the manager, as his daughter was pregnant and she had bought a pregency test kit at Target.

  2. Super Large Big Brother by JimSadler · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's a wonderful technology but how in the world could it be contained? The IRS would love to track spending of people as sometimes they spend a lot more than they claim they earn. Health insurance companies would crave that data as would life insurance companies. And a man might have real problem explaining to his wife why he buys condoms when he never uses them at home. Law enforcement might take a keen interest in the amount of alcohol you use and compare that to your gasoline purchases. And your doctor or hospital might want a hard look at your food buying habits as well. So what percentage of the public wants to be that transparent?