In a landmark privacy decision, New Zealand’s Privacy Commissioner has ruled that the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by Foodstuffs supermarkets in the North Island is “justified” under the Privacy Act, provided strict safeguards remain in place. The conclusion follows a detailed six-month trial that ended in September 2024, during which the FRT system operated across 25 stores. Key Findings: Privacy vs Safety The Privacy Commissioner, Michael Webster, acknowledged the inherent privacy concerns such as the potential for misidentification, technical bias, and surveillance risks—but concluded that the benefits to safety and crime prevention outweigh the risks, provided customer rights […] Read More »