Privacy

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

submitted 8 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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[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 13 points 8 months ago (1 children)

"local only"

Even if it's technically local-only, pretty easy for a tech to drive by and pull data it's stored.

Or when it gets filled.

[–] jeffhykin@lemm.ee 17 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Its not really local only either, the cameras exist for the point of data harvesting, just look at their marketing. They only mean they're not streaming video to a server for recognition. The after-recognition data is still sent to a server https://www.invendagroup.com/vending-machines