The University of Waterloo is set to remove smart vending machines from its campus following concerns raised by a student regarding the use of facial recognition technology. The machines, provided by Adaria Vending Services and manufactured by Invenda Group, were discovered to have an error code referencing facial recognition technology, although the companies assured that the technology does not take or store customers' photos.

The issue came to light when a Reddit user shared a photo of an M&M-brand vending machine displaying the error message related to facial recognition technology. Following an investigation by a student, it was determined that the machines do not store any photos or images of customers and are designed to act as motion sensors to detect faces for activating the purchasing interface.

Despite reassurances from the companies that the technology is compliant with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and does not collect personally identifiable information, the University of Waterloo has decided to remove the smart vending machines from its campus. Rebecca Elming, a university representative, stated that the machines will be taken down as soon as possible and that the software will be disabled in the meantime.

The removal of the smart vending machines at the University of Waterloo reflects a broader concern around facial recognition technology on college campuses globally. This incident adds to the ongoing debate surrounding privacy and surveillance issues related to the use of such technology in educational settings.