“Microsoft to install facial-recognition technology (spywares) in malls & stores, which could be used to identify individual customers: When a shopper approaches the shelf, she would see a price calibrated specifically for her. The next shopper might pay a different amount based on their profile. Retailers could use AI data to charge higher prices to those who can afford to pay more.”
Electronic price tags (electronic shelf labels or ESLs) or digital displays allow companies to change prices dynamically via a mobile app. This so-called “smart pricing” permits retailers to adjust prices based on their whims. Just as Uber raises prices during rains or rush hour, retailers and shopping use ESLs to adjust prices based on factors like time of day or the weather. Supermarkets could conceivably mine a shopper’s personal data to set prices as high as possible. These tools will be abused in the pursuit of profit, surging prices on essential goods in areas with fewer and fewer grocery stores – these are gujju IIM oligarchy for ROI, not any innovative hi-tech automation!
It is outrageous that, as people continue to struggle to pay due to widespread unemployment, trading giants will continue to roll out surge pricing and other corporate profiteering schemes. Meanwhile, finance chains are moving swiftly to install dynamic pricing jugaad. We’re not against any AI, but every such tech abuse must be preemptively regulated or Govt disbanded. Should fragile tube babies be forcefully pushed to open streets for playing test runs / development gimmickry OR must stay inside Silicon Incubators?
Law enforcement is rapidly increasing use of facial recognition, and new line of iPhones with FaceID, tools that would use facial recognition to identify individuals and unlock their phones. From self-checkout machines to payment by app, spy tech is rapidly changing the way we buy groceries while governments are signalling more lax approaches to regulation, and the grocery companies are joining forces with Polity, Microsoft, Apple FaceID, SpaceX, Google One, Amazon, and Starbucks to try to dismantle labor unions, and agencies that protects workers’ right to organize. Capitalists raising middle finger to the middle class!
Edward Snowden’s disclosures only revealed existence of one Upstream, some program under FISA, where NSA scans all internet communications going into and out for surveillance targets’ emails, chats, as well as IP addresses and what republic’s agents call cyber-signatures. Reuters revealed that Yahoo, in compliance with government order, built custom software to scan hundreds of millions of email / chat accounts for content that contained digital signatures used by espionage targets.
Source: thenation.com #surveillance #capitalism #BigTech #dystopia