Journal de Montréal: Il lance un nouvel appareil pour détecter les mineurs au dépanneur
Updated: 1 day ago
An entrepreneur who once worked as a cashier at the age of 17 is launching a device designed to simplify age verification and take some of the pressure off checkout employees.
“It's a bit like those roadside speed signs that display a smiley face when you're driving at the right speed and a frowning face when you're not,” explains Philippe Gélinas-Bernier, President of Age Guardian.
“We saw this type of product in Europe and decided to develop the technology in Montreal,” he adds.
At 17, while working as a cashier in a convenience store, Philippe Gélinas-Bernier found it uncomfortable to ask customers for identification when they wanted to purchase alcohol or tobacco.
Thirty years later, he has developed a device that simplifies this challenging task for retailers: estimating customers' ages.
“It was a little awkward asking people for their IDs, so the idea is to shift that uncomfortable responsibility onto the device to reduce tension,” he explains.
The device is placed on the counter facing the customer. If a green light appears, an ID check is not considered necessary. If the light turns red, the device recommends requesting identification.
However, the employee always has the final say when it comes to age verification.
What About Privacy ?
Speaking to the Journal de Montréal, Philippe Gélinas-Bernier assures that the compact device does not record anything and does not even have access to the Internet.
“All processing is done locally. The algorithm performs the age estimation,” he explains.
Using a database of several thousand images, Age Guardian can estimate customers' ages without storing images or biometric data and without attempting to identify individuals.
“It avoids the two main pitfalls: surveillance (nothing is recorded) and discrimination (customers can always present identification),” observes Stéphane Leman-Langlois, a researcher affiliated with the Centre for International Security (CSI) at Université Laval.
« The Biggest Risk »
At the Place Chambly tobacco shop, verifying customers' ages is a daily challenge.
“There's nothing more important than making sure we don't sell to minors,” says Mathieu Belland, owner of three tobacco shops, including the one at Place Chambly. The first offense carries a $2,500 fine, and for the second, I lose my license for three months. It's the biggest risk my business faces, he emphasizes.”
« C’est le plus gros danger de mon commerce », va-t-il jusqu’à dire.
Several times a day, he must ask customers for identification, under the watchful eye of mystery shoppers sent by Health Canada.
“Age Guardien helps. It takes away some of the awkwardness of asking for ID,” says Mathieu Belland.
According to Michel Poulin, spokesperson for the Regroupement des tabagies du Québec (RTQ), this technology will address a real need in the market.
“This tool will improve the customer experience,” says Poulin, who represents 400 retail businesses.
Age Guardian is currently being tested in several retail locations, and the feedback has been positive.
“The camera isn't hidden. It's clearly visible. That can help deter theft,” says Mr. Poulin
.
“None of the footage is stored in a database,” he concludes.
