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An unnamed submitter writes:

Ever had a feeling that someone is watching you while you shop? That your every move is being recorded and analyzed? Your paranoia may be justified. Businesses are using intelligent software capable of tracking the location of each person's phone so closely it can determine exactly how long they spend looking at certain products on certain shelves. They are also using facial recognition to map users with profile. There are ways to combat this including disabling wifi and bluetooth, or putting your phone into airplane mode.

Businesses are using intelligent software capable of tracking the location of each person's phone so closely it can determine exactly how long they spend looking at certain products on certain shelves.

And it's not just snooping via wifi. Some stores are now using facial recognition technology too, which last week landed Kmart, Bunnings and The Good Guys in trouble with Choice.

"For any person trying to keep their personal information private, it's not fair. Every single person has a right to keep his or her privacy," Internet 2.0 security engineer Rafig Jabrayilov said.

[...] Stores, like Nordstrom in the United States – the focus of a bombshell New York Times article – can set up sensors in physical stores that return exact information on consumer behaviour.

Mr Jabrayilov said whether the technique was considered PII (personal identifyable information) under the privacy act was "arguable", given it only offered device information.

[...] He said big Australian retailers were also involved with tracking consumer devices through their camera faces, however he was not in a position to pass on outlet names.

[...] He recommended consumers check their phone settings to ensure their randomised MAC address function has been enabled.

Privacy is like virginity. Once it is gone, it impossible to get back.

Original Submission