A few items in the news recently, sent in by Joe Cadillic:
From Amnesty International:
Reacting to news that X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has introduced new privacy policy which allows it to collect users’ biometric data and access encrypted messages Michael Kleinman, Director of Silicon Valley Initiative at Amnesty International, said:
“’Biometric’ is a broad term which relates to a person’s physical attributes and needs to be clearly explained. Even though X’s new policy asks users for their consent regarding the collection of biometric data, there is a real risk that their right to privacy will be violated.
“The new policy does not clearly spell out how that data will be stored and the safety measures in place to ensure that the information collected will not be used for unlawful purposes.
From Fight for the Future:
On Thursday, September 28, baseball fans and privacy advocates gathered outside the Phillies’ last home game of the regular season to protest Major League Baseball’s newly installed “Go-Ahead Entry” facial recognition ticketing system. Protestors wore T-shirts and held banners and signs opposing facial recognition. They also passed out flyers and chatted with fans about the risks of Go-Ahead Entry.
The organizers concluded the event by delivering an open letter signed by Amnesty International, Access Now, American Friends Service Committee, Muslim Advocates, and other leading human rights groups calling for a ban on all forms of biometric data collection at Major League sports stadiums.
From Orlando ParkStop:
Facial Recognition is coming to the Orlando theme parks—and not just to Epic Universe, as has been reported by other outlets. This new “frictionless” entry technology is expected to make its way to all of the Universal Orlando parks, and soon.
But what do we know about this “Photo Validation” system, as Universal is calling it, and how will it be used at Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and eventually Epic Universe? Let’s go over the official details, publicly filed patents, permits, and even some new rumors to see what we can learn. See the video version of this story for additional visuals.
Read more. See also Hollywood Reporter.
From 404 Media:
A food delivery robot company that delivers for Uber Eats in Los Angeles provided video filmed by one of its robots to the Los Angeles Police Department as part of a criminal investigation, 404 Media has learned. The incident highlights the fact that delivery robots that are being deployed to sidewalks all around the country are essentially always filming, and that their footage can and has been used as evidence in criminal trials. Emails obtained by 404 Media also show that the robot food delivery company wanted to work more closely with the LAPD, which jumped at the opportunity.