What is Facedeals, anyway? Facedeals is a face-recognition scanner and software that checks you in to stores and then, via Facebook, sends you a customized deal. Cool or creepy?
There is new advancement in face-recognition technology, causing ripples amongst critics and enthusiasts alike, and it will soon be in stores. Facedeals, which is a retail-focused consumer scanner, scans your face and then connects data from social networks. After scanning your face and recognizing you, it automatically checks you in to places, and then presents you with a customized deal based on your Facedeal profile (i.e. your ‘Like’ history, aggregated by where you shop, etc.).
Created by RedPepper advertising agency (with no affiliation to Facebook whatsoever), Facedeals can check consumers into stores without the need for cards or thumbs, and can also be used to offer the same consumers discounts from retailers.
As you would expect, there is always backlash from privacy critics. The main rile is the face-recognition feature that links directly to Facebook. Many critics say it’s an utter breach of privacy (what if I don’t want to be checked in and have my whereabouts announced to my social network?). Privacy is a real challenge for RedPepper, however, serious advertising revenue will be an impetus to finding a security-friendly workaround. As for affiliation with Facebook, Tim McMullen of Facedeals has been quick to answer “absolutely not.” A good thing for Facebook, which has privacy concerns of its own to manage.
What is Facedeals –cont’d
Although the great discounts Facedeals is sure to offer will be a nice counteractive measure to privacy concerns, the system still raises some eyebrows. But here’s the good news: the check-in app must be authorized via your Facebook account for it to work. With your help, the app verifies your most recent photo tags, using those to map the physical appearance of your face. Only then can the Facedeals’ custom-developed cameras use this data to identify you in the real world. In other words: if you don’t like the app; don’t opt-in to it! Privacy crisis averted.
Ok, now I know what is Facedeals, but where is it?
Facedeals is finalizing testing (and seeking funding); to learn more click here.
