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Comment by ItsBob | Hacker News Reader

For me the solution is clear: require written authorization from everyone you want to capture with facial recognition software.

It prevents privacy issues and doesn't stop research.

Exceptions could be made in gov buildings perhaps due to national security but the idea of unlimited private companies taking my photo, or using video for gait analysis, facial analysis etc is abhorrent.

I'm not against tech and love what AI can do but private companies using my images for facial recognition is a step too far.

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>It prevents privacy issues

Next step: every big company/store requires a written authorization to enter. Back to square one.

That was what I was going to say. All the stores need to do is warn potential customers that by entering the stores premises the potential customer agrees to x technology being used for the purpose of y. It's the potential customers choice then, leave or enter.

Is "We don't use automated identification technology" enough of a market advantage to win over customers?

Presumably only if the average consumer cares about this enough.

I could see it playing out like organic foods, honestly.

Even just that would be an improvement.

Maybe that would encourage people to stop shopping at big companies and stores and go back to supporting small businesses.

(I do think the idea isn't a good one and am not defending it.)

Not if you outlaw that practice.

It's easily countered by creating a law that prevents discriminating on the basis of opting into tracking, AI and whatnot.

Problem solved.

Personally I'd go the other way - you can do it, but you must make it public. It also has to be reciprocal. You can look up stuff on me, but your stuff should also be available for me to look up. E.g. tracking private jets/yachts and publicizing their cost to the environment should be legal.

Then what's the course of action when every store in the city requires your written authorization to shop from there?

As I mentioned above: outlaw the practice of preventing people from shopping if they haven't opted into your dystopian facial recognition software.

It will essentially kill it immediately but still allow research.

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