Russian supermarkets launch the facial recognition payments

The country’s leading food retailer X5 group, announced the launch of a facial recognition payment system. The X5 group, which owns the Pyaterochka convenience stores and the Perekrestok supermarket chain has joined forces with the Visa payment system and Russia’s state giant Sberbank to launch its facial recognition payment system.

The service has rolled out in 52 Perekrestok supermarkets and will expand to a total of 150 by the end of the month, X5 innovation director Ivan Melnik told AFP, adding that the system will also be available in 30 Pyaterochka stores by the end of April. He said some 3,000 stores across Russia will feature facial recognition payment systems by the end of the year.

The service will only be available at self-service checkouts for Sberbank customers after the bank recently allowed its users to set up facial recognition to pay from their accounts.The system also ensures that facial recognition transactions are “encrypted and protected” and identity theft attempts are prevented by a 3D camera that measures the depth of a user’s face.

The latest expansion of technology has sparked privacy and security concerns. Facial recognition is rapidly developing in Russia, raising the concerns of activists over state surveillance.

The Roskomsvoboda digital rights NGO launched a campaign last year against the mass use of facial recognition by the authorities, highlighting abuses of the system, data leaks and lack of consent.

Source – Agency / Contributed by Amna Iqbal