PM slams shops’ use of facial-recognition tech

The use of facial recognition technology in supermarkets to identify criminals could prove ‘‘very, very problematic’’, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

Supermarket giant Foodstuffs, which owns the New World and Pak’n Save chains, said it used facial recognition technology in some of its North Island stores to identify potential offenders.

Foodstuffs spokeswoman Antoinette Laird said it was one of many strategies to reduce theft and increase safety in stores.

Ardern said New Zealand should take note of international studies raising questions about the technology’s inaccuracy.

‘‘A tool that is that inaccurate really does prove to be very, very problematic,’’ Ardern said.

Privacy Commissioner John Edwards also raised concerns about the technology, pointing to an international study that found facial recognition software to be potentially racist and sexist.

The research, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, found dark-skinned women were most likely to be misidentified as criminals by such technology.

Edwards said any facial recognition technology ran the risk of wrongfully identifying people.

‘‘When it comes to identifying people accused of a crime, getting it wrong can have a severe impact on the person affected,’’ he said.

‘‘I expect an agency looking at using it to have a high level of scrutiny over how accurate it is.’’

Government Digital Services Minister Clare Curran said she was not told Foodstuffs used facial recognition.

‘‘My wider concern is that there [are] no guidelines generally for the use of artificial intelligence, and that is something we are working on now.’’

At least 140 New Zealand firms used artificial intelligence technology, Curran said.

New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties spokesman Thomas Beagle said business use of software to identify criminals in CCTV footage amounted to ‘‘private law enforcement’’.

‘‘There have got to be tradeoffs in terms of what is better for society and what is fair and just.

‘‘I don’t believe it’s very healthy for society to have this level of watching going on.’’

Laird said Foodstuffs would make no apology for the measures it took to tackle theft.

‘‘Theft is a growing problem, as is the increase in aggressive behaviour towards staff. There is no shortage of incidents resulting in significant harm and sadly, in a recent tragic case, death.’’

She said footage was only used for the purpose for which it was intended, which was as a deterrent and tool against theft.