<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/bunnings" rel="" target="_blank" title="Bunnings"><span>Bunnings</span></a><span> has won the right to use facial recognition technology in stores to protect staff and customers from violence, abuse and crime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The hardware giant was found to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bunnings-breached-privacy-of-customers-by-collecting-facial-data-using-cctv-report-finds/6cf57a56-1d84-446e-9a43-47070a83710f" rel="" target="_blank" title="have breached the privacy of potentially hundreds of thousands of customers"><span>have breached the privacy of potentially hundreds of thousands of customers</span></a><span> in 2024 by using facial recognition CCTV in 63 stores during a three-year trial.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It has now been given the green light to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/facial-recognition-australia-how-face-payment-technology-transform-way-you-pay-explainer/f449bc16-ba4c-4977-bca9-d55acf2c8061" rel="" target="_blank" title="use the controversial technology"><span>use the controversial technology</span></a><span> after an Administrative Review Tribunal partially reversed the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's (OAIC) ruling.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/office-vacancy-rates-in-melbourne-surge-to-highest-rate-since-1997/857ca46b-d7f0-4a29-a3ff-ffaffbdee511" rel="" target="_blank" title="Office buildings are sitting empty in this city. It could get even worse"><strong><span>Office buildings are sitting empty in this city. It could get even worse</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tax-relief-for-beer-lovers-but-spirits-drinkers-call-for-reform-of-broken-system/b582f1b3-3bca-4d84-924b-09aaf5f63023" target="_blank"><strong><span>Tax relief for beer lovers but Nationals call for reform of 'broken' system</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An appeal tribunal found Bunnings was entitled to use facial recognition CCTV without consent "for the limited purpose of combatting retail crime and protecting their staff and customers from violence, abuse and intimidation within their stores".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Privacy commissioner Carly Kind previously ruled that Bunnings had breached the Privacy Act by collecting personal information from customers without consent.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/bunnings-wins-right-to-use-facial-recognition-technology-in-stores/60c8ba2c-865f-410d-922c-4714010c01e7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The tribunal upheld its original ruling that Bunnings had failed to provide appropriate notice to customers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider said the hardware chain welcomed the tribunal's decision and that the CCTV had been used in the name of safety.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our intent in trialling this technology was to help protect people from violence, abuse, serious criminal conduct and organised retail crime," Schneider said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The tribunal recognised the need for practical, common-sense steps to keep people safe.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It also identified areas where we didn't get everything right, including around signage, customer information, processes and our privacy policy, and we accept that feedback."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/xi-jinping-and-vladimir-putin-closer-ties/824484ee-4654-4ba0-818d-4833b0614729" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Global turbulence' pushing China and Russia closer</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/husband-on-trial-40-years-after-wife-disappeared/cml7wzbk9000m0hqpac24byq0" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Husband on trial 40 years after wife disappeared</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The OAIC said it would carefully consider the tribunal's decision, which could also be appealed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Today's decision confirms the Privacy Act contains strong protections for individual privacy that are applicable in the context of emerging technologies," an OAIC spokesperson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bunnings previously said it used the technology to protect staff against "serious" crimes and violent interactions allegedly perpetrated by a "small number of known and repeat offenders".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It used facial recognition technology in a trial between November 2018 and November 2021 across stores in NSW and Victoria and said the "vast majority of people [were] processed and deleted in 0.00417 seconds".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bunnings-breached-privacy-of-customers-by-collecting-facial-data-using-cctv-report-finds/6cf57a56-1d84-446e-9a43-47070a83710f" rel="" target="_blank" title="Compilation footage of customers threatening Bunnings staff members"><span>Compilation footage of customers threatening Bunnings staff members</span></a><span> with weapons and physically attacking them was then released following OAIC findings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bunnings paused the use of the CCTV during the investigation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><p><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=9news.com.au"><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine"><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></p></li></ul></div></div>