Why several big-box stores have ditched their self-checkouts | CBC News

After Dwayne Ouelette took over the Canadian Tire in North Bay, Ont., last year, he decided to buck the trend and ditch the store’s four self-checkout machines — which had been there for a decade.  “I’m not comfortable using them and I don’t think some of my customers are comfortable [either],” said Ouelette, who removed the machines in July and replaced them with cashiers.  “I’d rather my customers see my cashiers and if there’s any questions or concerns, at least there’s somebody they can talk to.” Read full story here: Why…

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Police Are Using Facial Recognition For Minor Crimes Because They Can | CNET

Cities all across the US have passed bans on facial recognition, with variations in how strong the regulations are. Though Portland, Oregon, banned facial recognition from all government and commercial use, others are only limiting it from police use. Some cities, like Detroit, have enacted lighter measures, such as allowing facial recognition to be used only when investigating violent crimes, while police in New York have been able to use the technology for crimes like shoplifting. On Oct. 9, a New York judge decided in a package-theft case that facial…

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