This technology is an important measure that helps us to maintain a safe and secure environment for our team and customers. We let customers know about our use of CCTV and facial recognition technology through signage at our store entrances and also in our privacy policy, which is available on our website.”
– Bunnings’ Simon McDowell apes the ‘safety’ excuse for spying imbibed from governments
In terms of the security of the store, and protection of property, and curbing theft, I’m supportive of any business having camera surveillance on their own land, with a clear public signage warning of the cameras … every customer has the option of going to some other hardware store if they want to.
Now the real question, is how much of the facial recognition data leaks OUTSIDE the store, and gets handed over to any government entity, regardless of what they want to do with it? You local library wants to chase up library fines … sure, request a scan of facial data to get a list of the people who were at Bunnings this weekend.
I noticed a while back that at the same time the railways wanted you to have a ticket linked to both your personal details and your bank account, they also put in cameras to photograph you right as you went through and swiped your ticket so they could “put a face to the name” as it were … who did they sell that data to? I would guess that face database was sent to a bunch of places beyond just the railways collecting ticket money.
Similarly, ISPs have been forcibly recruited as data collectors for government, so are the telcos … same with many businesses, banks for example.
It seems that any infringement of personal rights is justifiable in this modern era of “stopping” Covid, “safety”, and left wing authoritarianism.
I am not having a bar of it.
The civil liberties people seem to have disappeared entirely in the last 2-3 years.
It’s a big tell that neither major party has run with this issue since it was first reported. Dutton has a long track record of disdaining privacy over against the alleged needs of law enforcement. He has always been the ex-copper who listens to coppers. Both parties are completely on board already with spying on motorists for phone usage – a massive money-spinner in Queensland since the technology was introduced.
Store cameras hooked up to a disk that can be reviewed by a business owner and police after a robbery are one thing; facial recognition technology, however, facilitates a whole-of-life surveillance system. It is more or less designed to enable a systemic information matrix. It is organic. That means that unless it is banned outright, it must – of necessity – grow.
Unless I’m mistaken, however, no federal government will ban FR because the security apparatus of the state – including immigration, AFP and ASIO – will all be looking to use it. For all of the Liberals’ rhetoric about “standing up to China,” as the ‘pandemic’ proved they fully support a China-style social credit system – as does Labor.
For those not aware of the fact, the post title refers to the ‘friendly’ hellos Bunnings staff members give customers at every aisle and turn. This is an anti-shoplifting measure they are trained to use. Studies supposedly prove that thieves are deterred after being personally engaged and eyeballed.
I have soften thought Aldi should have some sort of facial recognition alert for my father so they don’t let him in.
Every week it’s off to the Aldi special buys, the house is full of these things not even opened. Within the sixty day return period back it goes.
Bunning’s privacy email address below – feel free to let them know your thoughts on this – I just did.
privacy@bunnings.com.au
Doin’ his bit for the CCP.
Tel is correct, primary concern is what external organisations handle the data processing & storage and what all do they do with it.
The one real benefit of wearing a facemask.
Tel is correct, primary concern is what external organisations handle the data processing & storage and what all do they do with it.
No concern there – I’m sure some quasi-governmental body will oversee the data processing and storage, as well as subsequent use therof.
Spot on CL.
Equally spot on.
I want to know who the state gun registers got sold to.
I want to know who the state gun registers got sold to.
Pick me! Pick me! I know this one – the CCP to smooth over their future takeover of Australia.
Woolworths are at it as well with their self check-out terminals. When pressed they are careful to parse that they are ‘not taking or storing customer images’, which suggests they are using some form of live FR to me.
Not so, Entropy. These are all AI systems with ongoing learning and interfaces with other surveillance means. So if it doesn’t quite recognise you in a mask it simply crosschecks with mobile phone whereabouts and adjusts probability of a match accordingly. And it does take a photo of you in a mask.
If the data hadn’t been sold to the CCP they would have just stolen it anyway.