Users of WiST tags can have their photos taken and automatically updated to their social media profiles when visiting participating venues.
Moreover, data provided by WiST tags will be controlled by users, who can decide who can access this data and for what purposes.
This is according to local company Wireless Intelligent Sensing Technology SA (WiST), which says WiST tags can be used to automatically take photos of users when they visit venues fitted with WiST cameras. According to WiST CEO Gert Botha, these are cameras that have been fitted with WiST updaters. The company adds that these photos can then be sent to users' social media accounts.
For example, the company says, when users with WiST tags visit venues with WiST-enabled cameras, the cameras will automatically take photos of the users. According to WiST, users can then share these photos on social media accounts.
Botha explains that WiST tags have sensory chips, which are able to detect information, including location, in real-time. He adds that cameras equipped with WiST updaters can be programmed to take photos when WiST sensors are in proximity with the updater. For example, he says, when visitors to these venues, wearing WiST sensors, are in the camera's range.
Botha says these photos can be sent from the updater to a cloud-based database via GSM or radio network. According to Botha, the information in the database is encrypted and consists of sensor IDs and predetermined rules. In the case of photos taken at WiST-enabled venues, these photos can be sent to user's social media accounts, e-mail accounts or to third-party sites, depending on rules chosen by the user.
Botha stresses that because the information sent to the database is encrypted, it is meaningless to external parties. Moreover, he says WiST has no plans to create a centralised database with user information.
Web and digital media lawyer Paul Jacobson warns that using technology to track people is problematic and WiST must navigate this issue very carefully. He stresses that consumers need to be adequately informed about how the technology is being used and what it does.
However, Botha assures that users can decide whether or not to associate their identities with their WiST sensors. He adds that WiST cameras will be able to link the photos to a sensor ID, but this will not be linked to individual users. He says third parties, such as venues, will only be able to link the sensor ID to an individual user's identity when the user provides this information.
Botha says users can choose to have photos that are taken at WiST-enabled venues automatically updated to their social media accounts, by providing their identities. However, he says users can also opt to have these images sent to them via e-mail, or to a third-party Web site.
In the case of a third-party Web site, Botha says users can secure the site with a password. Moreover, according to Botha, users can further ensure the security of the site using their WiST tags. He explains that users can use a WiST USB updater on their computers and set rules to only provide access when the password is entered and the sensor is in proximity. Botha says the company plans to approach manufactures to install WiST updaters onto computers and mobile devices, eliminating the need for USB updaters.
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