A woman strolls into a grocery store, thinking about grabbing some apples. Before she even reaches the produce aisle, a security camera has scanned her face. Whether the system is checking for shoplifters or simply logging her arrival, her face has joined a digital ledger, a trace she can’t easily erase. Retailers, banks, airports, stadiums and office buildings are doing the same. kAmqFE H92E :7 E96 H@>2?’D 724:2= :?7@C>2E:@? :D DE@=6? @C >:DFD65n x7 2 4J36C4C:>:?2= DE62=D 96C A2DDH@C5[ D96 42? 492?86 :E] x7 E96J 24BF:C6 96C 4C65:E 42C5 ?F>36C[ D96 42? 42?46= E96 42C5] qFE D96 42?’E C6D6E @C C6G@<6 E96 2AA62C2?46 @7 96C 4966<3@?6D]k^Am kAmu24:2= C64@8?:E:@? DJDE6>D 5@?’E <66A 24EF2= :>286D] %96J 4@?G6CE 2 7246 :?E@ 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]5:8:E2=D6?D6]2:^3=@8^9@H\5@6D\724:2=\C64@8?:E:@?\H@C<Qm>2E96>2E:42= E6>A=2E6k^2m E92E >2AD E96 A@D:E:@?D 2?5 AC@A@CE:@?D @7 E96 7246’D 762EFC6D] (96? 2?@E96C 42>6C2 D42?D 2 A6CD@? =2E6C[ E96 DJDE6> 4964<D E96:C =:G6 7246 282:?DE E96D6 E6>A=2E6D E@ 4@?7:C> 2? :56?E:EJ]k^Am kAmx? >J H@C< 2D 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]C:E]65F^5:C64E@CJ^;DH:4D\;@?2E92?\H6:DD>2?Qm4J36CD64FC:EJ AC@76DD@Ck^2m 2E #@496DE6C x?DE:EFE6 @7 %649?@=@8J[ x 92G6 7@F?5 E92E 6G6? E9@F89 E6>A=2E6D 2C6 >@C6 D64FC6 E92? A9@E@D – H9:49 2?J@?6 @?=:?6 42? 42AEFC6 2?5 >2?:AF=2E6 – E6>A=2E6D[ E@@[ 42? 36 DE@=6?] ~?46 E92E 92AA6?D[ E96D6 5:8:E2= <6JD 4C62E6 2 =:76=@?8 GF=?6C23:=:EJ] x7 2 724:2= C64@8?:E:@? 52E232D6 :D 3C624965[ E96 “=@4<D” E92E 2 E6>A=2E6 @A6?D – 2446DD:?8 2 32?< 2AA[ 86EE:?8 E9C@F89 D64FC:EJ 2E 2? 2:CA@CE[ 6?E6C:?8 2? @77:46 3F:=5:?8 – 42?’E 36 C6D6E] p A6CD@?’D 7246 :D A6C>2?6?E[ 2?5 D@ :D E96 E9C62E]k^Am kAm%96 E9C62E :D?’E E96@C6E:42=] q:@>6EC:4 52E2 92D 366? DE@=6? :? 52E2 3C62496D] x? a_ac[ 3:@>6EC:4 52E2 7C@> 2 724:2= C64@8?:E:@? DJDE6> FD65 2E 32CD 2?5 4=F3D :? pFDEC2=:2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H:C65]4@>^DE@CJ^@FE23@I\724:2=\C64@8?:E:@?\3C6249^QmH2D 924<65k^2m] p?5 :? a_`h[ 3:@>6EC:4 52E2 7C@> 2 A:=@E 724:2= C64@8?:E:@? DJDE6> D6E FA 3J &]$] rFDE@>D 2?5 q@C56C !C@E64E:@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]@:8]59D]8@G^C6A@CED^a_a_^C6G:6H\43AD\>2;@C\4J36CD64FC:EJ\:?4:56?E\5FC:?8\a_`h\3:@>6EC:4\A:=@E^@:8\a_\f`\D6Aa_QmH2D 3C624965k^2m :? 2? 2EE24< @?