Australian watchdog investigates Kmart and Bunnings over ‘faceprints’ technology

The privacy watchdog in Australia has opened an investigation into the usage of facial recognition technology by two major retailers, department store Kmart and the hardware company Bunnings take “faceprints” of their patrons. The watchdog added that it was also conducting inquiries about other retail companies, the ones that stopped their facial recognition software. The technology is immoral, invasive, and can be used without consent to justification, according to the Consumer advocacy group Choice. However, both the retailers defended its application as a safety and theft-prevention tool. Angelene Falk, the Australian Information Commissioner, an investigation has been launched to see if any privacy law has been broken, BBC reported.

Falk said, “While deterring theft and creating a safe environment are important goals, using high privacy impact technologies in stores carries significant privacy risks.” She further said that the retailers must be able to prove that their responses are appropriate. However, Falk discovered that the convenience store chain 7-Eleven has violated customers’ privacy by gathering faceprints in a related incident last year.

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The Consumer group Choice said that both retailer Kmart and Bunnings only disclosed their use of the technology in privacy policies online and in tine section of ‘conditions of entry’ placards at the front of the stores. The group surveyed more than 1,000 households and found that more than 75 per cent of people were unaware of the technology.

However, Bunnings responded saying the technology’s use has been mischaracterised and the subject is stuck to not using the information for marketing purposes and that pictures are kept of people who are banned or ones involved in illegal or violating behaviours.

(With inputs from agencies)

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