By MassPrivateI
There is nothing and I mean nothing that can justify using facial recognition to spy on kids at summer camps.
But don’t take my word for it.
Leave it to the great American police state and Waldo Photos to make it “fun to use facial recognition.”
Waldo has come to camp, and he’s packed his amazing photo technology in his trunk. Using facial recognition, Waldo finds photos of each camper and delivers them via text message to their families. (Source)
Still wondering how Waldo Photos makes it fun to spy on kids, well worry no more.
image credit: Waldo PhotosEvery time photos are matched, Waldo sends a fun text message or notification, keeping the photo delivery fun, conversational, and camp-friendly. (Source)
Waldo Photos even claims that 50% of all facial recognition profits goes back to summer camps and fundraising projects.
Isn’t that fun?
That’s right, private companies and summer camps think it is fun to use facial recognition!
According to an article in the Citizen Times, Waldo Photos CEO, Rodney Rice justifies using facial recognition at summer camps because parents can’t wait to see if their kids are having fun.
Parents go through this dilemma of wanting to see their kids, wanting to see if they’re safe and having fun and making friends, but they also don’t want to sacrifice hours of their time doing so. Waldo lets you pull your needle from the haystack.
Can you imagine how much fun Waldo Photos is having, taking 600-800 photos at each camp every day?
More than one hundred summer camps use facial recognition
The Citizen Times reported that more than one hundred summer camps across the U.S. are using Waldo’s facial recognition program.
Camp Rockmont was one of four summer camps across the nation that worked with Waldo last summer. Now, there are over 100 summer camps across the country enrolled.
Waldo Photos is used by at least one hundred summer camps which means they are taking approximately 80,000 pictures of kids every day.
Isn’t that fun?
Somehow Waldo Photos was able to sneak in a “fun” facial recognition plug in the Citizen Times article.
Reid Wittliff is proud to have sent his son and daughter to spy camp, sorry I meant summer camp, saying, “it’s fun and exciting to get a text and know that it’s a picture of your kid having fun.”
But wait, the fun doesn’t stop there.
CEO Rice claims that Waldo Photos “delivers a product that makes parents of campers happy.”
It is never fun to spy on kids and it certainly isn’t fun to use facial recognition.
Using facial recognition to make a profit off kids at summer camps is despicable.
To all the kids who have no voice and can’t speak out about facial recognition, don’t worry I have you covered.
You can read more at the MassPrivateI blog, where this article first appeared.
I’m totally gobsmacked (but not in a good way!) Let’s face facts here… Technology, per se, is neutral. It’s neither good nor bad. But (and it’s a BIG but)… much of this new technology is being increasingly misused and abused. Way too much temptation exists for corporations and government to violate our privacy… and use PR tactics to “normalize” such invasions on our privacy and dignity. Assuming for the moment that our Constitution isn’t already a dead letter, all of us should have a right to be “secure in our person and property”. Shouldn’t this right extend to our right to privacy? And if not, WHY not?