National News
Kmart Violates Privacy Laws with Facial Recognition Technology
Australian retail giant Kmart was found to have violated privacy regulations for using facial recognition technology (FRT) at 28 stores nationwide from 2020 to 2022 to prevent refund fraud without obtaining customer consent.
Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind noted that Kmart collected biometric data on customers without consent, disproportionately impacting privacy rights. She stressed that while facial recognition can be effective in some cases, its potential risks, such as commercial surveillance, discrimination, and unlawful detention—require attention.
As part of the ruling, Kmart must stop using facial recognition and publish a statement on its website within 30 days explaining its use of the technology and the privacy commissioner’s decision. However, the company may continue using other forms of monitoring technology as long as they comply with privacy laws.