Commenting on Sainsbury’s plans to roll out facial recognition in 200 shops, Big Brother Watch’s Director Silkie Carlo said:
“Innocent shoppers should not have to submit to Orwellian identity checks just to buy a loaf of bread or pick up nappies. The mass rollout of live facial recognition across Sainsbury’s stores is a shameful decision that treats customers like suspects, putting millions of law-abiding people at serious risk of privacy intrusions and humiliating false shoplifting accusations.
“We are seeing rising numbers of serious facial recognition mistakes in shops with terrible consequences for customers. Any of us could find ourselves being tapped on the shoulder, falsely accused of a crime and blacklisted from our local supermarket, often without knowing why. Big Brother Watch is regularly contacted by people trying to clear their names after being barred by AI-driven watchlists with no due process or effective right to appeal.
“This is one of the biggest expansions of facial recognition surveillance in the country to date that has very serious consequences for our privacy rights.
“Sainsbury’s and the police can legitimately target shoplifters but have no right to take face scans from millions of ordinary customers. Sainsbury’s should halt its decision to roll out live facial recognition immediately and listen to customers’ concerns.
“We would urge people to shop elsewhere as long as Sainsbury’s continues taking face scans of all its customers without their consent.”
“The Government must rein in this unchecked mass privacy invasion of the public.”
Notes
- Spokespeople are available for interview. Please direct enquiries or requests for interviews to info@bigbrotherwatch.org.uk or 07730439257
- More information on Big Brother Watch’s Facial Recognition campaign here