The Canadian Privacy Commissioner is looking into digital advertisements utilizing facial detection technology near Union Station following complaints from the public.
These high-tech billboards, situated close to the Union Station bus terminal, are under the ownership of Cineplex Digital Media (CDM), a company recently acquired by Creative Realities, a digital signage firm.
CDM’s website discloses the use of camera sensors to capture the faces of passersby near the ads. The company asserts that their technology focuses on facial detection, not recognition, and promptly deletes the images. They claim the purpose is to analyze general age and gender to tailor advertisements more effectively to diverse audiences.
Notably, a notice displayed near the billboard warns individuals in the vicinity that their image might be recorded.
The Privacy Commissioner’s office stated, “The investigation will assess whether the technology complies with Canada’s federal privacy law, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).”