A new facial recognition camera that tracks your shopping habits via Facebook is being tested.
It could mean good deals for you - if you are willing to give up some privacy.
If you thought ads directly targeting you were pure fantasy, well, shoppers, meet "Minority Report."
A new service called Facedeals uses cameras set-up in stores, restaurants, bars. Facial-recognition matches up your image with your profile and pictures on Facebook then it can send you a customized offer from that store - but only if you give permission beforehand.
Facedeals uses Facebook's open platform but is not otherwise connected to Facebook. The service was developed by the marketing firm Redpepper.
Here's how it works: Log into Facebook, grant Facedeals permission to image you and verify your likeness.
"When a face is confidently recognized, the deal is set into action," the promotional video explains.
The deal is then, as the company says, 'dynamically optimized'. That means your face is read, then matched up with your Facebook 'like' history. The Facedeals system then delivers your coupon, your customized discount, right to your mobile device.
It's whiz-bang, has laser-like efficiency, and concerns the heck out of privacy advocates.
Marc Rotenberg is with the electronic privacy information center.
"I think the problem, Brian, is that people will find that their personal information will become quickly available to the stores that they're visiting," he said.
What's wrong with it if they sign up for it?
"Well people would need to know how much of their personal information is actually being made available," said Rotenberg. "It's not simply their identity.
"On Facebook, for example, it would be their network of friends. It would be their likes and interests. A lot of that information would become available and I don't think people would agree to that."
Redpepper CEO, Tim McMullen, has a different opinion.
"We're not actually going to be pulling all of the data," he said. "Not to mention, applications that we do for retail companies all around the country that kind of stuff- people allow apps, applications all the time. It's like allow this app, and that is essentially saying that we can have access to your network. And I think that's sort of a line and a comfort line that people are moving towards as long as that information is not mis-used."
So, what does Facebook think about all this?
Facebook is a big part of this process and that Facedeals logo looks an awful lot like Facebook's.
A Facebook spokesman said the company is not commenting on Facedeals. It just wants to make sure people make informed decisions about the apps they use.
