Walmart is under fire for asking buyers to do so: "Invasion of privacy"
The emblematic retailer takes on heat for a recently launched service.
No matter where you live in the United States, there is probably a Walmart location near you. The megaretailer is aSource of everything Including grocery stores, home products, electronics, clothing and more for millions of Americans. But the unique relationship maintains with the companyis not without its raw patches, no matter how much some are based on stores. And now Walmart is in the fire of buyers after committing what they call an "invasion of privacy". Read more to see which new service has devoted customers upset at the moment.
Read this then:Walmart buyers can now buy this "award -winning" product in stores.
It is not the only time that recently, Walmart was exposed to a meticulous examination of its policies.
Thanks to its low prices andSpecial advantages for regular buyers, Walmart has managed to warm up to millions of customers. But even if theThe company is regularly congratulated For many of its movements, there are recent examples where consumers have called the retailer for its policies and changes.
In June, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it wasContinue Walmart for money transfer fraud, alleging that the company "made the idea that crooks using the store transfer services.Criminals have regularly transferred funds Stolen in various patterns using the system, while being aware of the problem but neglected to warn customers. The trial asked the court to order Walmart to return money to consumers and to "impose civil sanctions for Walmart violations" for the alleged payments of $ 197 million sent and received during the service between 2013 and 2018. The retailer postponed, calling the trial "in fact wrong and legally imperfect" and claiming that he had in fact allowed customers of around $ 6 billion in fees "by providing significant competition to industry money transfer ".
Another oneThe trial was filed Against the company on September 1 before an American district court for the South Illinois district. In this case, the applicantJames Luthe Alleged that Walmart collected, stored and used customer biometric data without their consent via their advanced cameras and video surveillance systems used in stores. Such an action would violate theIllinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) in 2008, which requires that "entities, including employers, who collect biometric data to follow aNumber of protocols, "PerThe National Law Review.
And now the retailer finds himself again in hot water with customers.
Buyers say that this recently added Walmart feature is an "invasion of privacy".
Walmart is no stranger to provide technological advances to its customers in order to improve the purchasing experience. In June, theThe store application has seen an update This allows buyers to see what a piece of furniture will look like in their house using augmented reality (AR). On September 15, the store further pushed this functionality with the launch of its "Be your own model"The experience, which" brings the experience of the adjustment room in stores to online buyers "by allowing them to" use their own photo to better visualize how clothes look like them ".
But although the new feature can facilitate the highlighting of their wardrobe, some have challenged technology. Mainly, some buyers have expressed their concern that the application forces users to take a photo of themselves in theirUnderwear or tight clothing For it to work properly,The US Sun reports.
"I think it was then that they should have realized that it was not a good feature," wrote a Reddit user in a threadDiscuss the update. "Basically, it's bad because you cannot make it work without an invasion of privacy."
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Some users have worried that their images can be found in bad hands.
The discussion on the new technology has led to a heated debate among users on the sub-program of technologypotential implications.
"What happens if the Walmart servers are hacked and these data are disclosed?" A user interviewed.
Others have stressed another problem potentially sensitive to technology. "How do they prevent children from using this feature? Especially if the photos are saved. It seems to me a bad idea," asked a user. Another called it a "dystopian nightcare with body cartography" which could lead the company to show you ads for "remedies, weight loss pills, etc. Yikes".
However, some users have pushed back by quoting the useful - and ultimately harmless - the additional functionality seemed to be. "Do people act really surprised? How [the explanive] would they show you how much the adjusted clothes look like you without looking like your superimposed head to a Sims character?" A user has argued. "If you are worried about a random worm of Walmart who sees you in spandex (the kind of people carry publicly), do not use it."
Others have stressed that similar services are already available elsewhere. "Amazon Shopping does that. It's great," replied a user. "I do not understand how you expect it to work without a photo of yourself. I found that it was incredible and quite precise.
Walmart says that there are other ways to use the new feature without taking a photo of yourself.
While the online debate on the new feature continues, Walmart has published an answer concerning some of the initial concerns.AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
"The technology fueled by being your own experience works better when customers wear tight clothes during the photo capture process," said a company spokespersonThe US Sun. "Customers can take pictures of themselves with a tank top, training clothes such as shorts, length length of the knee or long-skinned leggings."
"Walmart takes the confidentiality of customers very seriously. The app of the application does not hide / stores images or metadata. Be your own encrypted and transit model files, and we make sure that users only have access to the images they download, "the spokesperson assured.
The company also explained that it has tried to protect the personal information of its customers. “The mission of our information security team is to protect critical data through innovation and advanced technology to guarantee our environment. We focus on protecting our information and digital infrastructure thanks to membership of third-party standards, impact reports and climbing practices, vulnerability and continuous improvement tests, "they saidThe US Sun. "Be your own model which has also undergone rigorous administrative and technical control exams to ensure compliance with confidentiality laws and regulations."
Other users have stressed that thoseShopping for online walmart clothes Also have the possibility of using the "Choose my model" functionality "previously published in the store. Instead of a photograph, customers can rather choose one of the 50 models that go in height and in clothing sizes that most look like their body shape.
