Pull My Finger... For Payment
from the they-stole-my-wallet-and-my-finger dept
A new report says Wal-Mart and Costco are investigating biometric payment systems that scan people's fingers to identify them and call up payment information. The systems are already in use at some supermarket chains, and aim to answer privacy concerns by storing just certain measurements of a person's fingerprint, rather than the entire fingerprint itself The company that makes the equipment pitches benefits to consumers of faster checkout and higher security, but enough questions have been raised about fingerprint scanners -- even beating them with Play-Doh that the security claims deserve closer scrutiny. The transaction speed is really more of a benefit for retailers, anyway, alongside the lower transaction-processing fees they can pay by getting people to use their checking accounts instead of credit or debit cards. The analyst report says a 20% cut in Wal-Mart's payment-processing costs could translate to a 3-4% increase in earnings per share within three years -- if biometric payment systems can deliver those kinds of results, expect to see them sooner rather than later, privacy concerns or no.
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Not everyone has clear fingerprints
But there are techical problems. Here's a recent quote about a similar technology. "People with faint fingerprints would also be unable to register on the system, as would manual labourers, particularly those who work with cement or shuffle paper regularly" - BBC
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I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
If I'm going to be peforming labor for the company, then I should be paid for it -- or at the very least, I should get a discount on all the products I'm purchasing.
Whatever happened to the idea that a company should provide service to their customers? In the US, this has gradually dwindled to the point that now the customers are paying to provide service to the company.
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Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
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Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
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Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
I hate self checkout as well; and for the same reasons. I've heard stories about people having problems with it and having to get someone to help clear the machine and recheck the groceries. To hell with that nonsense. What a joke. I think they should pay an employee a decent wage to sell me their merchandise and bag it for me and count out my change when it's over.
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Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
Now why would anyone want their personal bank info tied their fingerprint? What happens when someone hacks that database? Or like someone else said the government wants the records ?
I sure dont trust Wal-mart with my fingerprint.
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Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
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Re: Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
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Re: Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
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Re: I'm sick of 'check out yourself' stores
Forget the discounts, i would gladly pay MORE for a self checkout line. Call it the pay 10% more line. I could get in and out in record time with that.
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Cash
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Not gonna be touching no sticky, slobbery, grossy
I'll stick with my AmEx swipe card (whenever anyone starts using the readers) thank you very much.
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Re: Not gonna be touching no sticky, slobbery, gro
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Re: Not gonna be touching no sticky, slobbery, gro
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Gov't dream
Congratulations, your fingerprint is now in a government database and you better hope you don't ever leave your print any where near any future crime scene.
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Re: Gov't dream
Reply to:
What happens when the government subpoenas WalMart's fingerprint database because they are searching for a criminal and the fingerprint they have doesn't show up in any of their own database searches?
Congratulations, your fingerprint is now in a government database and you better hope you don't ever leave your print any where near any future crime scene.
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Re: Gov't dream
Is it a good idea to give Wal-Mart your biometric and banking information? Probably not, but that's more about Wal-Mart's security measures than wild claims about having your fingerprint being available to the gov't.
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Re: Gov't dream
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Re: Gov't dream
Seriously, mention "biometrics" and conspiracy theorists come crawling out of the woodwork with wild stories without knowing one thing about the actual technology. Sure, theoretically the gov't *could* apply the algorithm to a fingerprint they have and then go searching. Is it likely? Not even a little. They have more efficiant ways of catching people.
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Re: Gov't dream
Again, I'm not concerned about being tracked, I know that already happens with every non-cash purchase. I just don't like the idea of a government having access to a database that could further their 'big brother' goals. Don't think the govenment lusts for this? Why else have they requested the search engines turn over their? Oh yeah, national security. Anything can be done in the name of security.
Let me put it this way, why are we bothering with fingerprinting? Why not go straight to DNA? "That'll be 23.56 please, sir. Please spit here." Why not get WalMart customers to sign up for a DNA database - I think it would be far more reliable than fingerprint security.
No? Why not? (rhetorical question)
/Donning tin foil hat (and finger tips)
//Off to patent DNA payment process
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Re: Re: Gov't dream
No? Why not? (rhetorical question)"
Well, let's see, a properly performed DNA test can run upwards of $10,000? That's probably why the big name stores aren't jumping all over themselves to let you use your DNA to buy a $3 birthday card.
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Re: Gov't dream
Ironically "Mikester" your privacy concerns have "exposed" or ID'd yourself as one of these people who believes that his perceptions are truth. Real Eyes see Real Lies, then Realize.
Avoidable? (Hint: it lies within the research capabilities of the Net)
Truth is: Biometric fingerprints CANNOT be reproduced. That's why they're technically called "fingerscans" and not fingerprints (that's the media)
Why? Because there are over 1000 data points that can be measured on a finger. Pay by Touch identifies (scans) around 40. So without the remaining 960 data points, it would be literally impossible to recreate a finger print. So the government can ask but won't be able to tell.
Mikester...I gotta ask...can "you tell" us some more of your insights on how the world works?
Tell us the one about how a blank piece of paper imprinted with your name, address, routing and bank account numbers... handed out a thousand times to strangers like a business card is safer and non-invasive. Just checking Mikey.
Now, I apologize if I've come down a little hard on the Mikester, but my "perception" is that if you want respect, earn it, do a little R&D.
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No Subject Given
a.) People that use self checkout. If I have to bust my ass, I want the savings, not the business. I choose not to shop at stores where checkers are surly or rude, so I don't have that negative experience. At Home Depot, the friendly checkers have given me so many deals and specials, I would be an idiot to self-check.
b.) People that have those grocery store tags on their keychains and actually gave the grocery store their personal info.
c.) People that think "mail in" rebates are actually a cost savings (but never submit the paperwork) and thereby encourage retailers/manufacturers to keep up this scam.
d.) People that get voluntarily fingerprinted (for any reason), but specifically people that get fingerprinted so Wal-mart can make more money.
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fingerprints? I'm ready for RFID
- I dobut that this type of thing would lead to identity theft because of the lack of personal info, and if my bank is hacked, they are, by law required to pay me back.
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Re: fingerprints? I'm ready for RFID
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Biometrics for payment is a great solution
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