Compliance Vital To Retail Face Recognition NZ Privacy Commissioner Finds.
Compliance Vital To Retail Face Recognition – Recent findings of the NZ Privacy Commissioner into supermarket chain Foodstuffs North Island’s trial of facial recognition technology (FRT) underscore the critical importance of compliance in the deployment of biometric surveillance systems.
While the inquiry determined that the trial conformed to New Zealand’s Privacy Act, it also made clear that the margin for error is narrow and the expectations on privacy safeguards are high.
The trial, conducted in 25 Foodstuffs supermarkets, involved live FRT scanning the face of every shopper entering the premises. Although the Privacy Commissioner assessed the level of intrusion as high, the safeguards implemented by Foodstuffs were considered sufficient to reduce the privacy impact to an acceptable level.
That conclusion has drawn support from political quarters, with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith stating he expects the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime to continue to examine the technology as a broader solution.
But as Nicholas Dynon, group brand strategy & innovation director at Optic Security Group, points out, this isn’t a green light for unrestricted FRT deployment.
“The outcome provides some much-needed clarity for retailers – and other organisations – who have held back on considering FRT due to the fear of ending up on the wrong side of privacy legislation, but it’s not a green light,” Dynon said.
In its report, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner identified changes that Foodstuffs would need to implement before making its deployment permanent or rolling it out more broadly. It also issued 9 expectations for any organisation contemplating FRT.
Taking these into account, Dynon stressed that compliance extends well beyond the technical components.
“Compliant FRT deployment is about more than just the technology itself and include issues such as watchlist management, system misuse, customer communication, staff training, incident handling, and long-term system oversight,” he explained.
Complicating the compliance picture is the current state of public opinion. Dynon cited an OPC survey that found 41 per cent of New Zealanders were concerned or very concerned about the use of FRT in retail stores, with concern rising to 49 per cent among Māori respondents.
“Retailers should be aware that the results of an OPC survey published just weeks ago demonstrate that many New Zealanders are not supportive of the use of FRT in retail stores,” Dynon said.
According to Dynon, careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and independent expert advice are essential to responsible use.
“Inappropriate FRT deployment exposes an organisation not only to legal risk but also to significant reputational risk,” Dynon said.
You can read the findings of the NZ Privacy Commissioner here, discover Optic Security Group here, or read more SEN news here.
“Compliance Vital To Retail Face Recognition NZ Privacy Commissioner Finds.”
