These Popular Retailers Are Being Investigated Over ‘Unethical’ Use Of Facial Recognition Tech

CHOICE has launched an investigation into Kmart, Bunnings and The Good Guys after it learned they appear to be using (and storing!) facial recognition data of customers in their stores. In case you needed another reason to wear a mask. CHOICE asked 25 Aussie retailers if they use facial recognition data and analysed their privacy policies. Based on both their policies and responses, it seems only Kmart, Bunnings and The Good Guys were actually capturing faceprints (AKA the unique biometric data of your face). The companies’ privacy policies can be found online, but as CHOICE consumer data advocate Kate Bower

Major Australian retailers Kmart, Bunnings and The Good Guys are using facial recognition technology in stores, raising concerns among privacy experts. Read the full investigation here: https://t.co/y8sZSVazF7 pic.twitter.com/5SRyfUSolR

— CHOICE (@choiceaustralia) June 14, 2022

Simon McDowell

This @choiceaustralia report shows Australian law should do 3 things:
– it should set ‘red lines’ to prohibit harmful facial recognition
– it should set stronger rights protections for risky uses of this tech
– it should enable facial recognition that has a clear public benefit. https://t.co/wj2AHBL2Xl

— Edward Santow (@esantow) June 14, 2022

“At Kmart we are trialling facial recognition in a small number of stores for the limited purposes of safety and loss prevention (such of reducing refund fraud),” the spokesperson said.

“We are committed to keeping personal information private and protected in compliance with privacy law.

“We make our customers aware of facial recognitional through our conditions of entry signage in participating stores and through our Kmart privacy policy.”

news.com.au

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