ACLU

We asked some of America’s biggest retailers and, with a few exceptions, they refused to tell us.

Naturally. Like Bruno, you don't generally talk about your security arrangements. Most companies that install security cameras for commercial uses have their own AI system- or a relationship with a company that provides it. It can actually be extremely useful and not at all as awful as you imagine. Usually, it's actually quite worse. one might even say nefarious.

in any case...

We do know that most major retailers have video cameras in their stores. We know that at least one face recognition vendor is pushing the use of the technology for identifying shoplifters, and claims to have several Fortune 500 retailers among its clients. We know the technology’s use is rapidly growing in the UK. We know the New York Times reported recently that the use of face recognition is being “explored” at Madison Square Garden. We know that Walmart tested the technology in its stores for several months in 2015. And now we know that at least one major American retailer, Lowe’s hardware, has begun using the technology without informing visitors to its stores.

and it goes on.

But I think it’s fair to say that most customers do not think that they are being subject to a perpetual lineup, scrutinized by face recognition technology to see if they resemble anyone that a company security service has decided to put on a watch list. They do not expect that their faces are being captured, retained, connected to their real-world identity (for example when they use a credit card at checkout), and combined with information about their income, education, demographics, and other data. They do not expect that their every footstep, hand motion, and gaze will be analyzed by computers and filed away to give insight into their shopping habits, patterns, and preferences, and shared among different companies, data brokers, and advertisers. They do not expect that they are subject to the risk of being misidentified as someone in a database of suspected criminals, fugitives, terrorists, or whatever other blacklists stores may be using or begin using in the future. They don’t expect that all these intimate details about their behavior will become accessible to government agencies through legal demands or voluntary sharing.

And if those things are happening, I think most customers would want to know about it.

if you scroll there's a very clear message of "we don't know, they're not saying". they asked 20 of the top retailers... most refused to answer. of the remainder that did answer... only one said 'no'.

Remember, we don't talk about Bruno. but maybe we should.

yup.

So. Their security cameras, that are literally everywhere in the store? they're tied into all sorts of biometrics. Facial recognition, gate recognition.

They also get your name, address, etc, if you ever use a credit or debit card, and match it to that. Their system goes and dives and runs everything public about you, as well as they record everything you do, everything you buy, and build that into a dossier. Their loss prevention staff, get alerts about anyone they think needs to be watched.

pretty much all of the big box stores and other large retail chains are using these kinds of systems. hell, Some places have started using "smart" cameras to track how long you stare at the gossip rags while waiting to check out, or the candy as you walk by the candy aisle.