I found the difference between point cards and loyalty stamps the other day. When we make a point card, we write our name, telephine number and address in the application form. I didn't think of writing a false name and address at that time. I guessed most people write their real names and addresses.
We hand the point cadrs every time we pay at the register. The shop gets the information about -where the customer lives, how old he or she is, and when, what and how many he or she bought previously. The information is valuable unless giving false information for application becomes common.
On the contrary, loyalty stamps don't demand any information about the customer until he or she accumulate a certain number of them and get a voucher. Customers have to write their names, addresses and telephone numbers when they exchange the stamps into vouchers.
I haven't heard that some mischief was commited by using the personal data in the application form of the point card.
An old woman says that her next door Lawson comes up with a line up of goods she wants as if the store reads her mind. It is possible because Lawson knows when what kind of customer buys what from the record of the point cards and it can estimate what kind of goods are in good demands. the shop obtain valuable information. This can't be applied to loyalty stamps. Customers are required to give their addresses, names and telephone numbers only when they get a certain number of stamps and want to exchange them into some monetary vouchers.
I heard of face recognition vending machines in the station yard of Yamanote Line. A camera on the machine shoots a photo of a customer and automatically estimate how old and which sex the customer is. I have never come across such machines yet; anyway red lamps blink on and off above recommended five drinks out of 30drinkas by judging from the photo.
There are also face recognition electronic signs. They shows advertisements most recommnedable the sex and age judging from the photo shot by the camera on the upper part of the sign.
Gmail is free mailer. It displays advertisements based on the contents of our mails we wrote.
As for the point cards this kind of utilization of the information is OK because we give our personal information on our free will and we can give false information if we don't want it to be utilized.
In the case of face recognition vending machines there may be no problem unless they don't use our photos as they are although i feel it a little too accomodating to show recommnedable drinks. And the electronic signs are also kind of pushy because it sounds like saying that " This is good for your age." As for Gmail, because this is free we can't complain anything about it; however, I don't feel comfortable.
I speculate that somebody will put a blinder seal on the camera lens on the vending machine if he or she finds where it is.