Hardware giant keen to roll out technology to all stores despite privacy determination [Video]

Bunnings aims to roll out facial recognition technology in all stores, despite a determination from the privacy commissioner that the hardware giant’s use of the technology breached Australia’s privacy laws.

The retailer said last week that it would seek a review of the privacy commissioner’s determination that it breached the privacy of hundreds of thousands of customers, arguing its use of facial recognition technology (FRT) appropriately balanced privacy with the need to protect staff against violent and organised crime.

In a trial between 2018 and 2021, Bunnings took the data of customers’ faces and compared the information against a database of individuals the company had deemed a risk due to past crime or violent behaviour.

The company says it compared customers’ faces with a database of fewer than 500 customers, and that the FRT system was available only …