Rail passengers have had their emotions and demographics recorded by an AI camera system at main stations without their knowledge, documents have revealed.
Cameras placed at the ticket barriers have been photographing people and their faces have been analysed by Amazon to see whether they were happy, sad or angry. Their age ranges and gender were also recorded.
Network Rail has been running a trial since 2022 at stations including Waterloo, Euston, Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds, Glasgow, Reading, Marsden, Dawlish and Dawlish Warren. The company says it could use the information to check on customer satisfaction but also to “maximise advertising and retail revenue”.
The trial was revealed in documents produced after a freedom of information request by Big Brother Watch, a civil liberties group.
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