Berkeley residents have a new tool in the fight to resist corporate commerce – Berkeley Notify. This groundbreaking application alerts the user if they come in contact with someone that has recently shopped at a store where the parent company is listed on a major stock exchange.
The rollout of Berkeley Notify comes as the city is experiencing a surge in corporate commerce. P C Buyer, the chief developer, said the trend in corporate commerce is a real challenge to the city’s Think Small & Buy Local mantra. He added, ”because residents have no way of knowing if someone around them has been exposed to corporate commerce, we felt a technology-based solution was necessary.”
Buyer described how the app integrates with all major retailers (Target, CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Safeway, Amazon etc.) loyalty programs. This cloud-based platform allows for seamless access to individual’s purchases so users can verify claims such as, “I always shop at the Berkeley Bowl, but I needed to stop at Safeway to get toilet paper.” The user might respond, “Oh, really, and how do you explain the Signature brand tomato sauce?”
Smartphone-based exposure notification alleviates the awkwardness of traditional querying of neighbors – hey is that Kraft Mac & Cheese; you said you only bought Annie’s? Berkeley Notify speeds the process by tracking purchase history and making it available in real time.
Buyer demonstrated an added feature called Shame-Time where the application queries Security and Exchange Commission data, legal filings and reports from consumer advocacy organizations to itemize the social and environmental shortcomings of individual retailers. The feature enables the user to publicly shame individuals by reciting transgressions specific to that particular corporation.
Perhaps the apps most powerful feature is a sophisticated AI engine that is compatible with standard video surveillance API’s utilized by retail security systems. This feature enables automatic image capture of malfeasant shoppers.
Buyer showed off the feature by providing an image of city council member Sophie Hahn shopping in the conventional produce aisle at Whole Foods in Lafayette. During the press conference rolling out the application Mayor Arreguin stated, “the next time Sophie advocates for a ban on big box stores on Solano Ave, she will have some explaining to do.”
Council member Kate Harrison was ecstatic about the new application. “Until now council members only had to report their investments annually, now we will have real time data to better verify their consumer fidelity.”
