Last updated on April 12th, 2023
A Pasadena company is rolling out the country’s first facial recognition payment system at select Los Angeles locations. Here’s what you need to know about this new facial recognition credit card payments system, how it works, and what this means for the future of paying with your card at physical locations.
PopID Unveils Facial Recognition Credit Card Technology
Contactless payments are becoming more popular during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Now, a Pasadena startup is taking advantage of this growth in usage by rolling out the first facial recognition payment option for shoppers.
PopID is now launching facial recognition payments with debit and credit cards at select locations near its Pasadena headquarters – just north of Los Angeles. These locations include regional food chains, like Lemonade, as well as a variety of mom-and-pop diners and restaurants.
The goal of the facial ID tool is to streamline the payment process. This approach involves reducing payment lines and high transaction fees from credit card payment networks.
How Does the PopID Payment System Work?
So, how do facial recognition credit card payments work? First, you sign up for Pop Pay. Next, you take a selfie through the app and add money to the account. Once your account is set up, all you need to do is look into the PopID payment kiosk when paying for your purchase. That’s it.
Is Facial Recognition the Future of Mobile Payments?
The ease of using the PopID system would indicate facial ID tools are the future. Unfortunately, the role of the technology in the future is uncertain.
Already, eight U.S. cities have banned facial recognition technology for government use. Those cities, including California hubs like Oakland and San Francisco, argue the technology is too powerful a tool for state surveillance. Portland, Oregon, may soon be the first state to ban the private use of any facial scanning technology, following the violence of the #BlackLivesMatter protests.
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