CONSCIOUS SPEND

@conscious.app

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Conscious Spend

Download Conscious - Spend Ethically. by Farran Ventures LLC on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more apps like Conscious -…

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Why it worked

The post taps into a prevalent fear of corporate surveillance and privacy invasion, framing Target's actions as a 'Black Mirror' episode. It provides specific details about the technology and Target's policies, lending credibility to the concern, and then offers a clear, actionable solution through the promoted app.

Summary

This post discusses how Target is using Bluetooth trackers in its shopping baskets, integrated with Acuity Brands' ceiling lights, to track customer movement and behavior without explicit consent. It highlights Target's privacy policy which includes location tracking, license plate reading, and voiceprint collection, and mentions the Target app has previously changed prices based on location. The post concludes by promoting the Conscious Spend app as a tool to find ethical companies.

Structure

1Introduction to Target tracking via shopping baskets
2Explanation of the Bluetooth tracker and Acuity Brands' role
3

Original caption

On today's real life Black Mirror episode, Target is now tracking you through their shopping baskets. A Target employee filmed a small black device clipped to a store hand basket and posted the ID number printed on it. That number is registered to Acuity Brands, the company that makes Target's ceiling lights. The device is a Bluetooth tracker that Acuity sells to retailers. Acuity's own announcement says the tags attach to shopping carts to track their movement, so store staff can understand customer shopping behavior and monitor employee activity. The tracker talks to the ceiling, because Target put Acuity lights with Bluetooth chips inside them into nearly half its 1,800 stores. Acuity says the system works without the shopper downloading an app or agreeing to anything. These tags broadcast to the ceiling, so nothing is pulled off your phone, and Target has not publicly commented on the baskets. The part worth worrying about is what Target has already written down about itself. Target's privacy policy counts your location inside the store as information it collects, and says it may link that with your app activity, your website activity, the ads you get shown, and your email. That same policy lists cameras that read license plates at its stores, voiceprints kept as biometric data, data brokers it collects personal information from, and training AI models as one use of what it collects. Target's app has already changed prices based on where you are standing. Minneapolis station KARE 11 found ten items cost $262 more inside the store than in the parking lot. Target changed the app after that story ran. Fight corporate surveillance. Use the Conscious Spend app to find ethical companies that don't watch you while you shop.

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On-screen text

CONSCIOUS SPEND ON TODAY'S REAL LIFE BLACK MIRROR EPISODE, TARGET IS NOW TRACKING YOU THROUGH THEIR SHOPPING BASKETS. target is now tracking YOU even more while shopping A Target employee filmed a small black device clipped to a store hand basket and posted the ID number printed on it. That number is registered to Acuity Brands, the company that makes Target's ceiling lights. Source: TikTok, FCC ID 2ADCB-ATG2 ACUITY BRANDS The device is a Bluetooth tracker that Acuity sells to retailers. Acuity's own announcement says the tags attach to shopping carts to track their movement, so store staff can understand customer behavior and monitor employee activity. Source: Acuity Brands press release, March 2017 The tracker talks to the ceiling, because Target put Acuity lights with Bluetooth chips inside them into nearly half its 1,800 stores. Acuity says the system works without the shopper downloading an app or agreeing to anything. Source: LEDs Magazine, TechCrunch, 2017 These tags broadcast to the ceiling, so nothing is pulled off your phone, and Target has not publicly commented on the baskets. The part worth worrying about is what Target has already written down about itself. Target Privacy Policy At Target, we want you to know how we collect, use, share, and protect information about you. By interacting with Target through our stores, websites, mobile application(s), products, services, or otherwise, you consent to the use of information that is collected or submitted as described in this privacy policy. We may change or add to this privacy policy, so we encourage you to review it periodically. Target's privacy policy counts your location inside the store as information it collects, and says it may link that with your app activity, your website activity, the ads you get shown, and your email. Source: Target Privacy Policy, target.com That same policy lists cameras that read license plates at its stores, voiceprints kept as biometric data, data brokers it collects personal information from, and training AI models as one use of what it collects. Source: Target Privacy Policy, target.com Target's app has already changed prices based on where you are standing. Minneapolis station KARE 11 found ten items cost $262 more inside the store than in the parking lot. Target changed the app after that story ran. Source: KARE 11, 2019 Fight corporate surveillance. Use the Conscious Spend app to find ethical companies that don't watch you while you shop.