Some Grocery Outlet stores are using facial recognition. Here's what shoppers should know
Some Grocery Outlet locations have deployed facial recognition technology, prompting consumer awareness reporting about what the practice means for shoppers. The extent of the rollout and how the collected data is handled have not been fully disclosed by the company.
Why this matters: Most people going to buy groceries do not expect to have their face scanned and logged. That is what makes retail facial recognition easy to miss — it happens quietly, in ordinary places, with no obvious moment where you agree to it. You do not get to opt out by staying off social media. You opt out by not shopping there, if you even know it is happening. Stores should say clearly what data they collect, how long they keep it, and who they share it with. Right now, most do not.
Who should care: Privacy officers · Cybersecurity · General readers · Policy
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