Bunnings breached privacy laws by using facial recognition on customers, Commissioner finds
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-19/oaic-investigation-into-bunnings-facial-recognition/104613700

Bunnings has been illegally using facial recognition on customers 2018. Facial data is highly sensitive under Australian privacy law, and requires consent, which Bunnings didn't bother about. The Privacy Commissioner says this breaches privacy laws.

Bunnings managing director, Mike Schneider, opened his mouth and let a load of bullshit pour out, saying stores are seeing "increasing exposure to violent and organised crime" and if just one person could be protected from trauma the use of facial recognition would be "justifiable".

It's clearly nonsense. It does not take just one crime to justify such a draconian over-reach and breach of personal privacy.

There's no data to suggest there's a crimewave taking place inside Bunnings stores. Look in the news for it; there's zip!

Over the same timespan, in carparks outside of Bunnings stores, there have been some arrests of people but it's unrelated to shopping in Bunnings. This is the excuse retailers use to justify car numberplate tracking. Numberplate tracking happens in about 40% of retail shops. It's a serious issue, but it's unrelated to in-store facial tracking, and not a justification for it.

Australian Retailer Association has been echoing claims by retail associations in the USA that $Millions are lost a day due to shoplifting. Depending on who you listen to, this adds-up to $Billions, sometimes more than the GDP of entire states where these made-up crime-waves are occurring.

Big business uses fearmongering as an excuse to break the law.

However you look at it, nobody can produce evidence to back their claim of a crime-wave in retail stores. But they're happy to talk about crime as an excuse to justify gathering personal, identifying information on the public.

#Bunnings #Privacy #PrivacyCommission #ConsumerProtection #FacialRecognition #BanFacialRecognition #AustralianRetailerAssociation