Went to WalMart yesterday at my son's behest. I only go there once or twice a year. I noticed they had a camera filming people as they walked by in the aisle. It didn't appear to be for security purposes, so I was wondering why they had that.

This morning, I had four emails from WalMart asking how my shopping experience was and inviting me to take a survey.

If the way this world is going doesn't frighten you, you are not paying attention.

Im a little confused...

How would they get your email address simply by you being on video? Or did they have your email address already?

Why do people act like they are ashamed to admit they shop at Wal Mart?

(06-11-2018, 02:15 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Im a little confused...

How would they get your email address simply by you being on video? Or did they have your email address already?

At some point, a company I have given my eamil address to has sold off the information. That company. or another company, married the email to information and photos from my FaceBook page which was then sold to WalMart. Technically, this should have been older information, since I have my security settings for "friends only". But one never knows, do they.

Sure it was not just from a credit card/discount card you used at WalMart?

for the people who do not shop at Walmart, where do you get your tooth paste, body soap, deodorant, and TP from?  Those are my top 4 items I buy there.  Where does every one else get their daily essentials at?

(06-11-2018, 02:23 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Why do people act like they are ashamed to admit they shop at Wal Mart?

Well, usually you encounter a lot of people in pajams, very large women in yoga pants, greeters who really don't know what store their actually in and attorneys. Wouldn't you be a little reluctant to let people know? Wait... Never Mind.

I'm having a deja vu moment. I somehow feel like I've seen this thread before.


I have as much disdain for Walmart as the next shopper. But, seeing how I'm still paying off bills from years ago, the budget dictates that I must go there a time or two each month. As chance would have it, any time that it's convenient for me to go there also seems like the most inopportune time to be there..

(06-11-2018, 02:27 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: At some point, a company I have given my eamil address to has sold off the information. That company. or another company, married the email to information and photos from my FaceBook page which was then sold to WalMart. Technically, this should have been older information, since I have my security settings for "friends only". But one never knows, do they.

Couple things here, while the technology you mentioned does exist it isn't used quite the way you project it just yet. The camera's at Walmart are in fact for security and the monitor is there to connect the dots to people coming in that you are being recorded on camera.

There are a few ways they could have known you were there. The easiest and most likely is your credit card you used is tied to either Walmart.com or a partner that they share information with. Another common tracking method is through apps running in the background of smart phones. Many apps will actually track your location and sell that data to big companies, mainly when you are in their stores or close by (GeoFencing). I lean towards the app based tracking in this case as you were probably loged in to a google, Gmail, facebook on your phone and it then simply passed your email to Walmart. 

The way you discuss is difficult for a couple reasons, while facial recognition is out there, facial recognition that accounts for proper aging with any sort of high level proficiency isn't really in use commercially yet because of some technical issues still hindering it. My company is actually working with a company that does facial recognition using edge computing that can do some of this stuff, but as an industry as a whole it's not quite as advanced yet like you propose here. Amazon is probably closest to having this functionality in their new stores, but even they don't use facial recognition matching cross platforms.

I went to a bank to open an account there, they asked me for a mail and I gave one I never used.

2 days later it was full of ads ... They basically sold my email to a bunch of big corporations. That was crazy.

(06-11-2018, 04:01 PM)Au165 Wrote: Couple things here, while the technology you mentioned does exist it isn't used quite the way you project it just yet. The camera's at Walmart are in fact for security and the monitor is there to connect the dots to people coming in that you are being recorded on camera.

There are a few ways they could have known you were there. The easiest and most likely is your credit card you used is tied to either Walmart.com or a partner that they share information with. Another common tracking method is through apps running in the background of smart phones. Many apps will actually track your location and sell that data to big companies, mainly when you are in their stores or close by (GeoFencing). I lean towards the app based tracking in this case as you were probably loged in to a google, Gmail, facebook on your phone and it then simply passed your email to Walmart. 

The way you discuss is difficult for a couple reasons, while facial recognition is out there, facial recognition that accounts for proper aging with any sort of high level proficiency isn't really in use commercially yet because of some technical issues still hindering it. My company is actually working with a company that does facial recognition using edge computing that can do some of this stuff, but as an industry as a whole it's not quite as advanced yet like you propose here. Amazon is probably closest to having this functionality in their new stores, but even they don't use facial recognition matching cross platforms.

The credit card wouldn't be applicable as we didn't buy anything (they didn't have it in stock).

But the second option is a possibility. My phone has a google account as I use Google maps (I don't have Gmail or Facebook on my phone). But I was under the impression that when I turned down the multiple requests from Google Maps to allow them to reveal my tracking information, that they would not do that.

As for the camera, it was in the back of the store in the main aisle, about 6' off the ground and had a video monitor to show what it was recording. There was also a sign that said "You are being recorded" (which, of course, you could really read until after you were already being recorded).

I'm not afraid to say I shop at Walmart. Their selection of personal lubricants is second to none.

(06-11-2018, 02:38 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Sure it was not just from a credit card/discount card you used at WalMart?

We didn't buy anything. They didn't have it in stock.

(06-11-2018, 02:55 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: for the people who do not shop at Walmart, where do you get your tooth paste, body soap, deodorant, and TP from?  Those are my top 4 items I buy there.  Where does every one else get their daily essentials at?

I usually go to the grocery store for the toilet paper and stuff.

But sometimes I just use leaves and branches.

(06-11-2018, 04:46 PM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: I'm not afraid to say I shop at Walmart. Their selection of personal lubricants is second to none.

Librication is key to avoid any sticky situation.

(06-11-2018, 07:37 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Librication is key to avoid any sticky situation.

Love going to Walmart ! 

Not just to see the show of tackiness, but to fully participate and bask in all its tacky glory. 

Oh and thanks to original OP for teaching me the word behest.

(06-11-2018, 08:39 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Oh and thanks to original OP for teaching me the word behest.

I wanted to behest as a child. But when I learned I had to walk in the desert for 40 day, I wanted to be Spider-Man instead.

(06-11-2018, 10:54 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: I wanted to behest as a child. But when I learned I had to walk in the desert for 40 day, I wanted to be Spider-Man instead.

I am bemused so I will bequeath you a behest.  

(Isn't Charlton Heston a badazz! "Badazz Moses"! "God sent me, Pharaoh. He's not gonna take anymore of your shit!!!")

I try not to go to Walmart unless I am out of options to find something I dont need because ...