Bunnings Violates Privacy Laws with Facial Recognition Tech

Lowest prices were just the beginning for hundreds of thousands of Australians whose facial data was recorded by Bunnings without their consent.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has ruled that Bunnings breached privacy laws by using CCTV-linked facial recognition technology (FRT) to capture the faces of individuals entering 63 stores in NSW and Victoria over a three-year period.

Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider defended the use of FRT as a measure to combat shoplifting and violence in stores, stating that about 70% of incidents were caused by a specific group of individuals. The company claimed that FRT was the fastest and most accurate way to identify and remove these individuals.

Privacy commissioner Carly Kind acknowledged the potential benefits of FRT in preventing crime and violence but emphasized the need to balance these benefits with privacy rights and societal values. The determination found that Bunnings had collected customers’ private information without consent, failed to notify them, and had inadequate privacy policies.

As a result of the ruling, Bunnings has been ordered to cease the use of FRT, destroy all collected personal and sensitive information within a year, and improve its privacy practices. This landmark ruling highlights the ethical challenges posed by facial recognition technology in the modern era.

Consumer advocate CHOICE has been vocal about the need for stronger privacy laws to hold businesses accountable for breaches. While the ruling against Bunnings is a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to protect customer privacy in an age of advancing technology.

The controversy surrounding Bunnings’ use of facial recognition technology serves as a cautionary tale for businesses considering similar practices. As technology continues to evolve, the importance of safeguarding privacy rights and maintaining transparency has never been more crucial.