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ARTICLE · 01 DECEMBER 2024

Facial recognition and privacy: Lessons from the Bunnings determination

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A key privacy determination made this week by the Privacy Commissioner.

AustraliaPrivacy
Emily Booth
Emily Booth
Lachlan Speak
Lachlan Speak
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CCTV footage released by Bunnings Group Ltd (Bunnings) showing customers committing violent acts against staff has set up the background for a key privacy determination made this week by the Privacy Commissioner (Commissioner) .

In 2019, partly in response to such incidents, Bunnings introduced facial recognition technology (FRT) in 62 of its stores. The system captured images of store visitors to match them against an internally created database of 'individuals of concern'.

However, the Commissioner found that Bunnings' use of the FRT system breached the Privacy Act because they failed to obtain adequate consent from store visitors and was not sufficiently transparent in how the system was implemented. Bunnings has now announced it would appeal (or seek review of) the decision.

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