Focus turns on ‘Orwellian’ store cameras

SUPERMARKETS using “Orwellian” facial recognition cameras to identify thieves face investigation by a watchdog after the first legal complaint against their use.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been asked to investigate Southern Co-op’s use of the cameras by Big Brother Watch, which claims their deployment may be unlawful.

The campaign group says the biometric cameras are “infringing the data rights” of shoppers whose images are captured as the devices look for shoplifting suspects to match against a database of known offenders.

Shop staff are alerted as soon as the cameras identify a suspect so they can either escort them from the store or monitor their activity.

Southern Co-op has installed the devices in 35 supermarkets around Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Bristol, Brighton and Hove, Chichester, Southampton, and London.

Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “Our legal complaint to the Information Commissioner is a vital step towards protecting the privacy rights of thousands of people who are affected by this dangerously intrusive, privatised spying.

“The Southern Co-op’s use of live facial recognition surveillance is Orwellian in the extreme, highly likely to be unlawful, and must be immediately stopped by the Information Commissioner.”

A Southern Co-op spokesman said: “We would welcome any constructive feedback from the ICO as we take our responsibilities around the use of facial recognition extremely seriously and work hard to balance our customers’ rights with the need to protect our colleagues and customers from unacceptable violence and abuse.”