From: Harris Cohen <hlc2105@columbia.edu>
  To  : <CPC@emoglen.law.columbia.edu>
  Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 16:09:52 -0500

Printed at the Piggly Wiggly

------=_Part_3632_1964081.1141247392769
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline

Cnet is reporting on Pay By Touch, a firm that is introducing fingerprint
scanners into grocery stores as a replacement for credit cards. Piggly
Wiggly has ordered scanners for each of its locations, and has found in
early surveys that customers are returning more often and spending more
during each visit.

The article discusses "consumer perception" and cost as two of the
technology's drawbacks, but never comments on the fact that the system
requires Pay By Touch to build and maintain a vast database of the
fingerprints of innocent (if misguided) shoppers. I assume the records in
this database will be linked to detailed purchase histories. No word in the
article on whether/how the information will be for sale to third parties,
but Pay By Touch's website seems to promise it won't. Either way, there's
nothing Pay By Touch's privacy policy can promise regarding government
subpoenas.

Article:
http://news.com.com/Pay+By+Touch+wants+your+fingers+to+do+the+shopping/2100=
-11390_3-6044636.html?tag=3Dst.prev

Pay By Touch's privacy policy:
http://www.paybytouch.com/privacy_policy.html

------=_Part_3632_1964081.1141247392769
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline

Cnet is reporting on Pay By Touch, a firm that is introducing fingerprint s=
canners into grocery stores as a replacement for credit cards. Piggly Wiggl=
y has ordered scanners for each of its locations, and has found in early su=
rveys that customers are returning more often and spending more during each=
 visit.
<br><br>The article discusses "consumer perception" and cost as t=
wo of the technology's drawbacks, but never comments on the fact that the s=
ystem requires Pay By Touch to build and maintain a vast database of the fi=
ngerprints of innocent (if misguided) shoppers. I assume the records in thi=
s database will be linked to detailed purchase histories. No word in the ar=
ticle on whether/how the information will be for sale to third parties, but=
 Pay By Touch's website seems to promise it won't. Either way, there's noth=
ing Pay By Touch's privacy policy can promise regarding government subpoena=
s.
<br><br>Article: <a href=3D"http://news.com.com/Pay+By+Touch+wants+your+fin=
gers+to+do+the+shopping/2100-11390_3-6044636.html?tag=3Dst.prev">http://new=
s.com.com/Pay+By+Touch+wants+your+fingers+to+do+the+shopping/2100-11390_3-6=
044636.html?tag=3Dst.prev
</a><br><br>Pay By Touch's privacy policy:<br><a href=3D"http://www.paybyto=
uch.com/privacy_policy.html">http://www.paybytouch.com/privacy_policy.html<;=
/a><br>

------=_Part_3632_1964081.1141247392769--

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Computers, Privacy, and the Constitution mailing list