Technology

If they carry through with this, everyone that plans on shopping at Kroger should be wearing Juggalo makeup

https://www.allure.com/story/juggalo-makeup-facial-recognition

The key phrase to remember here is: Price Discrimination.

Stores already possess the technology to track anyone's shopping experience through loyalty cards. The "discounts" you get are really just a tax on everyone that doesn't participate, and the benefits to the company for having your data are worth potentially losing business from un-tracked customers. That's how valuable your data is.

So why aren't we seeing per-customer targeting? This is not to suggest that businesses are benign here, but rather, just cautious about outright per-customer discounts and other price manipulation. Custom coupons are kinda/sorta a part of this. IMO, the door is still wide-open to find ways palatable to the customer (and courts) while dialing everyone in.

In that context, all cameras do is make the system practically impossible to dodge. Considering how much stores value that kind of information, it makes sense they'd invest to capture 100% of their retail activity.

Just don't shop at kroger. Problem solved. In some cases this may be the only available store but in those cases the prices are usually higher anyway. No matter the company operating the store

Expropriate Kroger IMMEDIATELY

This is a privacy intrusion that should be banned nationally.

We need a large, well-organized movement to demand that the government add a right to privacy to the US Constitution.

A Kroger spokesperson said in a statement that the company’s business model is built on a “foundation of lowering prices to attract more customers.” “To be clear, Kroger does not and has never engaged in ‘surge pricing,’” the statement said. “Any test of electronic shelf tags is designed to lower prices for more customers where it matters most.”

I know these PR people get paid a lot to tell bald-faced lies, but I just don't understand how they live with themselves.

“To be clear, Kroger does not and has never engaged in ‘surge pricing,’” the statement said. “Any test of electronic shelf tags is designed to lower prices for more customers where it matters most.”

Isn't that the same thing? It doesn't matter if you raise prices on demand or lower them, the outcome is the same - different pricing at different times.

I think they are absolutely, positively, going to breach their face database and everyone's purchase history all over the Internet.

I've been watching for an event like this with popcorn ready.

I've got a good/bad/terrible feeling that they're playing for keeps in the race to be the biggest consumer privacy headline public relations disaster.

Kroger is one of the more expensive grocery stores in my area. Less reason to go now. Aldi is the way

We need a law in the US banning the use of computer assistance for identifying humans. Hands down. It's not accurate, and it only emboldens people controlling resources.

I've been pretty lazy about changing stores since they had the easiest pick up i had found in my area, but i guess this is the ass kick i need to make sure i never go back.

Sucks they own almost all the groceries in my area. But i can trust that it's not a monopoly, right?

Groceries prices deeeeefinately aren't inflated. Nope. All good here.

...attracting criticism from lawmakers, who warn it could...

Oh my, if only there were someone with the resources and authority to do something about it.

We all need to wear little bowties that spritz semi clear paint into the cameras as we browse price tags.

Or can someone start a tick tok trend where the kids go to stores and eat these little devices off the shelves as a real "just prank bro"?

Also, remember that corporate rats do these things to give each other cover. Kroger has to be the face of bad guy this time, but don't you think for a second that Safeway and even the new "leadership" at Costco aren't prepping the same right now.

This is appalling.

So nice to live in the Balkans where prices are still on paper, and in some stores you can still barter depending on the quantity you're buying. 😄

Mask mandates may not be in effect but I can wear one to the grocery store. This is stupid and I will not participate.

If companies can't protect the information they collect now, (a large portion of it gathered without consent), how are they going to protect even more information; and where can I opt out?....smh

Kroger also owns: Ralphs, Dillons, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fred Myer, Fry’s, QFC, City Market, Owen’s, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker’s, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick‘n Save, Metro Market and Mariano’s.

Oh no, I accidentally smudged a little bit of paint over the facial recognition camera lens... Oops!

Surge pricing=price gouging, there is no difference

This is how you end up with laws mandating paper cards with pricing information.

Well, they wrote some letters. There's nothing more the nations law makers can do to protect citizens from corporate greed and price gouging. /s

In the USA, facial recognition isn't legal in some states (e.g. the company needs written permission to collect facial data in Illinois), and other stores have had issues with facial recognition (e.g. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/12/rite-aid-banned-using-ai-facial-recognition-after-ftc-says-retailer-deployed-technology-without) so I'm not sure how Kroger think they'll succeed with this.

And it definitely won't negatively affect people of color, at all, will it?