Walmart's Newly Patented Technology For Eavesdropping On Workers Presents Privacy Concerns

[DamianTV]

https://yro.slashdot.org/story/18/07...ivacy-concerns

Walmart has patented an audio surveillance system which can be used to listen to conversations between employees and customers at checkout. From a report:

The "listening to the frontend" technology, as its called, is one of many futuristic ideas Walmart has sought to patent in recent years as it competes with Amazon for domination of the retail industry. While there's no guarantee that Walmart will ever build this technology, the patent shows the company is thinking about using tech not just to facilitate deliveries or make its warehouses more efficient, but also to manage its workforce, which is the largest in the United States. Walmart declined to comment on whether it plans to use audio sensors to measure the productivity of its staff in the near future, but said in a statement, "We're always thinking about new concepts and ways that will help us further enhance how we serve customers, but we don't have any further details to share on these patents at this time."

Will companies ever recognize anyones Right to NOT be recorded? If so, then where? They obviously dont respect you in their store, when you see their ads, when you use their products, but most importantly, in your own home. That line has already been crossed, and no $#@!s were given.

[Swordsmyth]

It looks like Amazon and Walmart, which have long been battling it out in the retail arena, both want to keep a very close eye on their workers. Earlier this year, Amazon patented smart wristbands that can make sure a warehouse worker's hands are always moving. Now, its rival has patented an audio surveillance system, which can be used to listen to conversations between employees and customers at checkout. Before you freak out and think that Walmart has been listening to all the juicy gossip you've been dropping at checkout lines, know that it's still just a patent. And, of course, the company has refused to confirm or deny whether it's planning to actually use the technology to spy on its workers.
A spokesperson told BuzzFeed News:

"We're always thinking about new concepts and ways that will help us further enhance how we serve customers, but we don't have any further details to share on these patents at this time."

The audio surveillance system Walmart designed is composed of several sensors that can collect all kinds of audio data, including beeps and the rustling of paper bags. Any data it gathers can be used to assess an employee's performance -- for instance, the sounds items make when they're placed inside a bag can tell the company how efficient someone is at bagging purchases. Customers' voices can also indicate how long a line is and how quickly a cashier can get through all of them.

(Walmart)

As BuzzFeed News points, though, the most invasive feature is the system's ability to understand conversations and use them to judge an employee's performance: "If however the performance metric is based on the content of the conversation (e.g., was a specific greeting used or script followed), the system can process the audio detected by the sound sensors 102 (e.g., using speech recognition) to determine the performance metric." It could get chattier cashiers in trouble even if they're customer favorites for being helpful and friendly.

More at: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/walma...144200070.html

[Zippyjuan]

They invented a microphone?

[oyarde]

I do not work at amazon or talk at walmart . I did go to the local butcher shop today .

[Schifference]

I have been alerted that both Amazon and Walmart have the capability and utilize technology that tracks your packages.

[oyarde]

I have been alerted that both Amazon and Walmart have the capability and utilize technology that tracks your packages.

I will tell the Mrs . A couple years back she ordered a tv from walmart around Nov. . Took her about 6 months to get it . They would notify her it was ready for pickup and she would stop there and they could not find it or it was not there. LOL . She also got a virus on her computer from walmarts site . I told her not to buy $#@! there .