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.

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.

  • Aux@lemmy.world
    122·
    10 months ago

    I’d do that. Privacy should not exist. Everything must be public and available to everyone. Every person should have a tracking implant and anyone should be able to access it.

      • Aux@lemmy.world
        123·
        10 months ago

        Not /s. Privacy is a foreign concept for humans, invented a bit over a century ago. Privacy is a root cause of many social problems in our day and age.

        • otp@sh.itjust.works
          12·
          10 months ago

          Every person should have a tracking implant and anyone should be able to access it.

          In that case, I would guess that you’re a man, and one who has never had a stalker.

              • Saik0@lemmy.saik0.comEnglish
                31·
                10 months ago

                Their argument would be that the stalker having privacy allows them to do the stalking…

                they are indeed unhinged. If everything was magically public like they wish. We’d have no resources as every government official would be outed for what they were hiding. Would be complete anarchy real fast.