Walmart's Newly Patented Technology For Eavesdropping On Workers Presents Privacy Concerns (buzzfeed.com) 133
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."
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Well (Score:3, Funny)
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one requires a simple shell script (Score:2)
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I wonder how many false positives it would produce if used on developers.
"If we use a union statement here, we can better organize this query. The benefits would be worth the raise in CPU processing in this other section."
Nice Patent (Score:2)
They patent "putting a microphone where you want to hear people"?
Or, is it a patent on "monitoring employees"?. Does the fact that they are specifying the employees to monitor (check-out clerks) make it patentable?
Sure, this'll "Make America Great Again", LOL (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Sure, this'll "Make America Great Again", LOL (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Sure, this'll "Make America Great Again", LOL (Score:4, Interesting)
Why their supervisors? You can have a computer monitor their work speed and quality. And why electro-shock them? Then they know where the line is. Better to give them push-style notifications that they're falling behind and need to catch up or get terminated, etc. Psychologists show that kind of stress is far more motivating than shock-collars.
Unrelated note, guess how Amazon runs it's warehouses.
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Manna [marshallbrain.com] covered this in 2003.
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You can have a computer monitor their work speed and quality. ... Better to give them push-style notifications that they're falling behind and need to catch up or get terminated, etc
Manna? Is that you? Manna? [marshallbrain.com] OK, I'm ready for the next task.
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I think the mod decided that comparing working for Wal-Mart to being subjected to genocide at Auschwitz was unfair... to Auschwitz.
The comparison was to the productivity at Auschwitz, which was actually pretty good, so it is indeed an unfair comparison. Murdering the slowest work crew at the end of each day cleans out the least productive, while motivating the others to do better. Maybe someone could write a book: "The Management Lessons of the Holocaust Applied to American Retailing".
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Must have really bummed you out when stores installed surveillance cameras like 40 years ago.
There is no expectation of privacy from a business while you're inside of a business [sans the bathroom, of course] or when you're walking around on a public street.
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After all look at how well that worked in Auschwitz!
You don't even need to look back that far. The folks in East Germany whispered in public places, like restaurants, because they never knew if some Stasi "informal employees" were listening in at the next table.
I'm thinking that someone needs to open up a Kickstarter for a "Maxwell Smart Portable Cone of Silence", that we can all carry around with us.
Either that, or don't talk at the checkout at Walmart. Or maybe we all need to learn sign language . . .
. . . but then the spooks will invent an AI Camera
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Nope, please talk about unions, organizing, raises, strikes, etc at the checkout line in Walmart. The only way to overcome such technology isn't to hide from it, it's to make the signal to noise ratio so bad that the humans monitoring the hits from the machine can't possibly keep up or find the real data.
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The only way to overcome such technology isn't to hide from it, it's to make the signal to noise ratio so bad that the humans monitoring the hits from the machine can't possibly keep up or find the real data.
No, then they'll just implement a no-chatting policy, expecting you to work in silence like a good little robot, unless you're helping a customer, then fire you when you say one single word to another employee, or dare to talk to them on your break.
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But the suggestion is good for customers. I suspect that a lot of the folks who shop at Walmart stores aren't fascists. While the checker is ringing up items, the customer can extol the benefits of unionizing the workforce and mention that they (the customer) would voice support for that to Walmart management in the event of a Walmart worker strike.
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Exactly, I was talking about doing so as a customer.
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Devil's advocate: Say someone says stuff too often that makes the AI weight them as a union thug. They get fired, and blacklisted (trivial to do blacklists... just have a secret query to an offshore database.) The penalty for stepping out of line now becomes life without a job, similar to a felon.
Imagine how businesses would love this. Every company from a mom and pop owner would have this technology in place, even organizations, so they can catch people looking for other jobs early on and remove them.
Y
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When you exaggerate attempting for effect or shock value you just alienate any sane person reading your post. As soon as a read you comparing Walmart to Auschwitz I knew you were either a troll or not very smart, and stopped reading.
If you actually think Walmart working conditions are in any way comparable to Auschwitz detainees you need a history lesson. I'd imagine it's also a insulting to the memories of the people that were imprisoned or died there.
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someone obviously watching and listening to you all day every day and see how you feel about it.
Strawman. That is not what Walmart's system does.
There are already cameras watching the checkout process. This just adds audio.
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This is not an argument against recording. This is an argument against hyperbolic overreaction.
Or more likely it is made up nonsense. If a company really fired everyone with a momentary unpleasant expression on their face, they would have zero employees by the end of the first day, and then be out of business.
Re: Sure, this'll "Make America Great Again", LOL (Score:1)
The recordings are never used for training. Consider the volume of recorded content and how much content is needed for training, and you realise that line is simply the most palatable excuse available.
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Low-quality bait
0/10
Reminder: Technology is just a tool (Score:2)
I can think of a lot of valid and non-privacy invading uses for simply monitoring audio from a warehouse. It might help you understand where there was dead time where workers were just bored, and improve on that somehow (even if it was providing workers something to help fight boredom).
Sure it could also go the other way into some really invasive and annoying use where it found some worker was "too sarcastic" or whatever. But I don't think it serves anyone well to automatically dismiss every new technical
where's Hank Scorpio when we need him? (Score:2)
Re:Reminder: Technology is just a tool (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: Reminder: Technology is just a tool (Score:5, Insightful)
You must be the most niave person in history if you think a company like Walmart will use this to "help bored workers".
Bored? Then I guess you can go home and we don't have to pay you.
Bored? I guess we can fire you and hire someone willing to work 15 hours a week at minimum wage and no benefits.
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Edge cases are edgy (Score:2)
You must be the most niave person in history if you think a company like Walmart will use this to "help bored workers".
I am just giving examples from two ends of the spectrum. Of course in real life the actual uses will be more in the middle - but I am pointing out, as I said, that tools can be use for bad or ill and it's a bad idea just to stop development of tools because of that fact.
Patent farming ... (Score:2)
... nothing to see.
Inconceivable (Score:1)
Just 20 years ago, it was inconceivable that a free person's location, movement, and associations with other free people would be almost universally tracked and recorded.
Today, it is inconceivable that every word that comes out of a free person's mouth would be recorded, and that a free person would be subject to universal facial recognition and other tools of mass surviellance. But that day is very quickly approaching.
20 years from now, it will seem inconceivable that a free person's thoughts would be reco
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I would expect at some point we will plunge ourselves into the dark ages through violent upheaval but then again, look at China and even more so, look at North Korea. Has the world done anything to help the typical North Korean? I think not. People can easily enough be suppressed, enslaved and killed unless a stronger group of people can stop them.
But hey, let's give up out guns. That'll help.
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President Donald J Trump offered the North Koreans a terrific real estate deal. Gorgeous beachfront condos. Stunning golf courses.
And he offered to give Mike Pence to Kim Jong Un, as his personal manservant.
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-agrees-to-let-kim-jong-un-have-pence-as-manservant [newyorker.com]
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But hey, let's give up out guns. That'll help.
Isn't that how it is in America, give guns to the people who back this shit, have an old list of a few freedoms that can be taken away for national security or to save a child and those gun toting people back the government making it that much harder to do anything about the new world order.
Giving out guns to those who support the jack boots is not the answer.
Fix actual inefficiencies first (Score:2)
Ethics aside, you would think they would fix actual horrible inefficiencies first. For example, the pickers for their online orders are only shown 1 item at a time, and the items are *randomly* ordered, so even though the customer orders 2 different pairs of socks that are next to each other, the employees aren't shown (and can't see even if they tried to) this info to be able to speed up their job and end up doing tons of extra walking.
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This is in a warehouse
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minimizing contact with customers is not a winning strategy
I guess that's why online shopping and delivery have been such a flop.
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minimizing contact with customers is not a winning strategy
You need to know what business you are in. Nordstroms emphasizes the "relationship" between customers and sales associates. Walmart emphasizes low prices. Walmart's revenues are 35 times higher. Walmart's profits are 73 times higher.
I prefer Walmart because I can shop with no one bothering me, and they have self-checkout.
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the pickers for their online orders are only shown 1 item at a time, and the items are *randomly* ordered
Do you have a citation for this? Walmart spends enormous effort trying to make every aspect of their operations more efficient. It is implausible that they would fail to fix something so obvious and easy to change.
As a Ex Sams ccub Manager (Score:1)
If you paid your Employees correctly and took care of them you wouldn't need to worry about low morale and productivity. Costco doesn't have this problem... Either does Winco...
How is this different than recording a phone call? (Score:2)
We've all heard that prerecorded notice on support calls: "This call may be monitored or recorded for quality assurances purposes."
Same thing but without the phones.
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That I don't exactly have to talk at Walmart. It's kinda hard to get anything done on a phone call if you don't want to talk.
Seriously? (Score:1)
Spend a little "too much" time in the bathroom?
Go too often? (Who cares if you're on water pills for your hypertension!)
Gee, he's not moving fast enough!
He's not saying our scripted greetings or addressing customers to our (hokey idiotic) script!
Ha! He's not cheering hard enough during the opening meeting cheer session!! (Really, Walmart employees have to do this ridiculous cheer because some moron somewhere is under the delusion that it makes better workers with no evidence to back it up. Typical corporate
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...Ha! He's not cheering hard enough during the opening meeting cheer session!! (Really, Walmart employees have to do this ridiculous cheer because some moron somewhere is under the delusion that it makes better workers with no evidence to back it up. Typical corporate horseshit.)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fik2-kgOgng [youtube.com]
Safe for work, unless you work for someone who wants you to cheer.
Queue the links to Manna... (Score:2)
We should track the # of references to Manna on /. over time as an indicator of when our dystopian future will be upon us.
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I dread this in the hands of slashdotters (Score:5, Funny)
Bobby Tables is all grown up!
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Maybe they could install a speaker and hire someone able to translate the gibberish?
wow (Score:1)
using a microphone and storage device to record audio that can be listened to later for various purposes. What an innovative idea, i can't believe no one has done this before it should certainly be granted a patent.
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using a microphone and storage device to record audio that can be listened to later for various purposes. What an innovative idea, i can't believe no one has done this before it should certainly be granted a patent.
The patent is a little more specific than that. Claim 1 describes calculating a "performance metric" based on the number of items per bag (the system detects the beeps from items being scanned and noises that indicate a bag being used). Claim 7 describes a performance metric based on the length of the line at the register by detecting "sounds associated with guests".
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"sounds associated with guests"
This is Walmart. Would these consist of the sound of two oversize thighs rubbing against each other?
Hmm, okay (Score:2)
Sounds like they're rolling out the next feature of Manna [marshallbrain.com]. Seriously though, there's not much to worry about. If Walmart is going to be recording conversations at the checkout lines, that's only 2-3 employees even when the store is slammed, right?
Eavesdropping is a privacy concern (Score:2)
I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked! Now who would have thought that?
Illegal in Two-Party Consent States (Score:1)
This technology is blatantly illegal in any state that requires two party consent for recorded conversations. The moment you step into the store, you've gone from a "public place" with no expectation of privacy to "private property open to the public" where there DOES exist an expectation of privacy, especially in a close conversation.
If Walmart is currently using this technology, it certainly deserves criminal review.
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This technology is blatantly illegal
That explains why it's illegal to have security cameras at places of employment. Oh wait.
Anyway, Random Anonymous Guy on the Internet, I'm pretty sure Walmart is on top of what's legal and what isn't when it comes to employment practices.
I have to confess... (Score:1)
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Fascinating, but are you sure you have the right thread?
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His particular thing is the large female customers of Walmart, specifically Florida He's been hacking the security camera feeds for years and now if they implement this patent he can hear their voices too. He's in his special place now!
Opportunity.... (Score:2)
Checker: Your total is 37.46, sir.
Customer: Thanks...Oh... and Dear Wal-Mart management, they shoot spies, don't they?
audio sensors can be used to find union talk and t (Score:2)
audio sensors can be used to find union talk and that is a big NO NO.
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Doing so is part of a trend for Walmart. "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price", Robert Greenwald's 2005 documentary, covered how Wal-Mart set up cameras on their stores aimed at the parking lots in order to let store staff monitor any union organizing going on within view of the cameras. Meanwhile, in Germany, Wal-Mart couldn't avoid the unionized workers so Wal-Mart does business with unionized staff.
Why go to such lengths to prevent better working conditions? The same documentary tells us that a toy made
Two Party Consent? (Score:2)
Congratz Walmart... (Score:2)
I worked under this kind of surveillance. (Score:2)
Yeah. At a convenience store. Cameras everywhere, with mikes.
The register area was most heavily monitored, sometimes in realtime.
Audio was used to judge one's performance.
I hated it. Even with the store closed and me mopping the floor it felt like some kind of mythical omniscient sky-dwelling entity was watching me.
And in my current IT job? Cameras in the fucking office..with mikes. I've seen it used against employees.
Yes, I'm looking. Been looking for a while. I can't stand this surveillance shit,
New and improved Panopticon! (Score:2)
As if we aren't building our little personal Panopticons as fast as we can, then we get this:
Pre-crime is next (Score:2)
I expect they're going to follow this up with a "pre-crime" (ala "Minority Report") initiative. They'll monitor people's actions, manners, and postures in the store and learn to anticipate when somebody intends to steal. Then they'll arrest them before the crime is committed and build a case based on "the intention to steal."
No privacy issue (Score:2)
You already walked into a store loaded with fucking security cameras, which has notice of said camera system posted in a conspicuous location.
You already gave up your explicit right to privacy by entering that facility.
Gotta wonder what was patent-worthy, though, because my old porno shop definitely had a microphone and camera pointed right at the counter, so the management could listen in mostly to the customer asking if we carried a specific video or product.
Violation of law (Score:2)
From TFA - this technology would allow Wally World to to employees conversations at checkout. This ALSO means listening to customers conversations. In many states this would violate eavesdropping/wiretap laws. Where They require BOTH parties to agree to be recorded. If Wally World doesn't explicitly get customers approval to be recorded they could be in for big trouble.
Is Walmart considered a public or a private space? (Score:2)
It's a private entity that operates public buildings .. but what about the inside? What about conversations in the bathroom? What if it's aimed at someone as they open the door and it overhears something that's not? Where does this fucking end? Human nature has not caught up with technology and it's getting worse every day.