Protecting your privacy online is already complicated. But it becomes nearly impossible when you unknowingly find yourself in the foreground of a giant screen during a Coldplay concert . That's what happened to a couple caught on kiss cam at Gillette Stadium in Boston , a stop on the famous British band's tour. Framed by the camera, the two try to hide. A gesture that doesn't go unnoticed by frontman Chris Martin , who jokes from the stage: " Look at these two: either they're having a secret relationship or they're really shy ."
A prank that proved anything but harmless. Within hours, some users—thanks to facial recognition software—identified the two protagonists: he is the CEO of a tech company, she is the head of human resources at the same company, hired just seven months ago. But it didn't end there. The identities of their respective families and, presumably, their spouses, unaware of everything, also emerged. Meanwhile, the company has decided to suspend both employees and launch an internal investigation, explaining in a statement: "We are committed to respecting the values and culture that have guided us since our founding."
The video went viral online, and the social media pages of official partners were flooded with comments: between unsolicited advice, expressions of solidarity, and reports of the "incriminating" video, a veritable public trial ensued. "I hope that, if she didn't already know, at least she's surrounded by people who love and support her," wrote one user, addressing the man's wife. And similar messages multiplied to the point of becoming uncontrollable.
The case has shone a spotlight on the growing use of facial recognition software : tools once reserved for a select few, now increasingly widespread and accessible to everyone. And so, a scene born to entertain concertgoers has become a boomerang, reopening the debate on the nightmare of privacy in the digital age .
(Unioneonline/vf)
