Tablets in restaurants bring with them many technological benefits, but are they also invading diners' privacy? According to CBS, tablets are often equipped with cameras and some are worried that restaurants are using them to spy on diners. Pam Dixon of the World Privacy Forum tells CBS that she is concerned about the cameras and microphones on the tablets because "there's always a possibility they can be watching you."
While at some restaurants such as Applebee's, the camera can be used by guests to take selfies, many restaurants deny that camera function is even being used. A spokesperson for Ziosk — which makes the tablets used in Chili's locations around the nation — tells CBS that the camera "does not save information and does not share any information without the permission of the user."
Tablets are becoming more and more commonplace at restaurants. Many use the technology to speed up ordering and payment processes. Customers can often place their orders and pay for their tab using the tablets. They are also frequently used to entertain customers as they wait for their food. But for diners who may be worried about UFO landings and conspiracy theories, tablets on tables are another cause for anxiety.