Expert Commentary: NZ Privacy Commissioner Provides Clarity For Retailers On Facial Recognition Technology
Nicholas Dynon is Brand Strategy & Innovation Director at Optic Security Group. He is a certified security risk professional and counter terrorism practitioner.
'The inquiry report found that the live facial recognition technology (FRT) model trialed by Foodstuffs North Island Limited (FSNI) in 25 of its supermarkets complied with New Zealand's Privacy Act. While the Privacy Commissioner assessed the level of privacy intrusion as high due to every shopper's face data being collected, the privacy safeguards in the trial reduced it to an acceptable level.
'The outcome has been met with strong and immediate political support, with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith lauding the result as 'great news' and stating that he now expects the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime to 'continue to look at this technology as an option to be used more widely".
'The outcome also provides some much-needed clarity for retailers – and other organisations – who have held back on considering FRT as a potential solution to their security issues due to the fear of ending up on the wrong side of privacy legislation. But it's not a green light.
'The Privacy Commissioner has highlighted several changes that FSNI needs to make in order to make its trial permanent or to expand it to more stores. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) has also set out nine key expectations for organisations that are considering using FRT.
'Compliant FRT deployment is about more than just the technology itself. Factors such as identifying and assessing the specific purpose for which you want to use FRT, maintaining watchlists, protecting the system from misuse and information breach, communications to customers, staffing and training, customer interventions, incident response, managing enquiries and complaints, and maintaining and monitoring the system, are all critical to compliance – and they involve significant research, planning, testing, and careful implementation.
"At the same time, retailers should be aware that the results of an OPC survey published just weeks ago demonstrate that many New Zealanders are not supportive of the use of FRT in retail stores.
'The survey of over 1,200 New Zealanders found that 41% of respondents are 'concerned' or 'very concerned' about the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in retail stores to identify individuals. A total of 25% are neutral on the topic, 31% are either not so concerned or not concerned at all, and 3% are unsure. 49% of Maori respondents indicated concern over FRT in retail.
'For retailers considering FRT, this means not only ensuring all the privacy legislation boxes are ticked but also taking a step back and asking whether FRT is the most appropriate solution to your security problem.
'Inappropriate FRT deployment exposes an organisation not only to legal risk but also to significant reputational risk. Engaging with trusted experts to understand the privacy dimensions and factors influencing social licence to operate this emerging technology are critical."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
9 hours ago
- Scoop
Analysis: Tensions And Timing Test Luxon On First Official China Visit
, Deputy Political Editor in Beijing Analysis - Luck was not on Christopher Luxon's side for his first official trip to China. Even before the visit began, the prime minister was battling for control of the narrative, as a suite of former political leaders - including Helen Clark and Don Brash - accused the coalition of antagonising China through its embrace of the US. A clearly irritated Luxon batted away the warning - "maybe listen to fewer former politicians" - but the commentary persisted. In fact, the superpower struggle was given more prominence by events unfolding in the Middle East as Israel launched open warfare on Iran, with the US and China backing opposing sides. No surprise New Zealanders at home showed more interest in US President Donald Trump's "will-he-won't-he" contemplations than in Luxon's Shanghai sales pitch. Then came news of the Cook Islands diplomacy crisis right on the eve of Luxon's big sit-down with President Xi Jinping. Luxon had to have been cursing the timing, as his pre-meeting media conference was consumed by questions about the government's decision to suspend funding to the Pacific nation after its controversial agreements with China earlier this year. He tried valiantly to characterise New Zealand's issue as being solely with the Cook Islands government, but it was impossible to ignore China's contribution as one-half of the deals in question. That was evidenced by a pointed response from China's Foreign Ministry: that its cooperation with the Cook Islands "should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party". Was the trip a success? Such comments were not repeated, however, in the brief public parts of Luxon's high-level meetings at the Great Hall of the People. The leaders on both sides were direct in their opening remarks but not at all confrontational. President Xi Jinping acknowledged "ups and downs" in the relationship while Luxon pointedly noted the importance of "stability in our region". But both also stressed the value of their ties. Premier Li Qiang even welcomed the "candid" nature of the conversations. Certainly, there was nothing to suggest China is contemplating economic retribution, as some have suggested. Supporters of the government's approach will see that as proof its strategy is working. Its critics will caution it means only that there is still time to change course. To understand China's perspective, one can look to the state media for an indication. On Thursday, state tabloid Global Times hosted a piece by Qin Sheng, associate professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Qin said the China-NZ relationship could provide an example of "healthy interaction" in a world of "rising geopolitical rivalry and pervasive uncertainty". At the same time, he warned that the US was "actively wooing" New Zealand to join its "small circles aimed at containing China" including AUKUS pillar two. "For New Zealand, it is important to see the broader picture and ensure that its choices align with the prevailing trend of history." From a personal perspective, the PM would've been thrilled that Xi had been "impressed" by him in their first meeting at APEC last year. Alas, that sentiment is unlikely to filter through to the NZ public in any meaningful way. All travelling media noted the paltry audience interest in the stories filed as they landed on the afternoon of the public holiday Matariki. More bad luck. Broadly speaking, business leaders in the delegation were enthused and positive about the China visit, but there were some quiet grumblings. Two particular gripes came up multiple times in conversations. The trip's length - just two nights in Shanghai and one in Beijing - was considered too brief from a business perspective. It was hard not to notice the extra empty seats on the 757 returning home with several delegates clearly deciding to stay on in Beijing a little longer. Several businesspeople also questioned Luxon's strategy for luring back Chinese tourists and his characterisation of the issue as a "marketing challenge". When speaking to reporters, Luxon repeatedly insisted the problem was that New Zealand lacked "share of mind" in China and simply needed more promotion. The blame, he said, lay with Labour for being too slow to come out of Covid-19. Never mind that China itself had been slower. Those spoken to by RNZ suggested the more pressing concern was cost - and pointed out the coalition had hiked visa fees and tripled the International Visitor Levy. What next? Luxon's focus will now shift to the NATO forum which is he due to attend in the Netherlands in the coming days. In his final media conference in Beijing, Luxon made clear he considered his attendance there to be quite separate from his China mission. But he must know the two are very much connected and will be viewed as such. In recent comments, NATO chief Mark Rutte has grouped China together with Russia, Iran and North Korea, as effective foes of the West. Asked about the remarks, Luxon said he had seen "no evidence" of those four powers actively working together against the West. One wonders how that "difference of opinion" - as Luxon put it - will go down when the PM arrives at the Hague. Just last week, China expert Jason Young told RNZ that one of New Zealand's biggest challenges over the next two decades would be navigating that tension between its Western security partners and its largest trading partner China. There can be no relying on luck for that.
1News
17 hours ago
- 1News
Are you paying too much for parking in NZ's big centres?
You might be paying too much for your parking, new research suggests. Vanessa Rader, head of research at Ray White Group, said she was inspired to look at how New Zealand's car park prices compared, after conducting similar research in Australia. She found what New Zealanders pay for parking can vary dramatically, even within cities. She said, on average, the daily fee being paid in CBDs was $39.53 in Auckland, $37.83 in Wellington, and $32.60 in Christchurch. But Aucklanders could be paying anything from $12 to $80, Wellington from $15 to $50, and Christchurch $10 to $98. She said that the range within cities suggested that markets were "highly fragmented" and location, quality, and convenience made a big difference to price. ADVERTISEMENT In Australia, the difference between cities was much more pronounced than within them, she said. "People always think of Auckland as being the most expensive, but it's not wildly more expensive. "It's really location sensitive… if people want to be in certain locations, they're willing to pay that extra.. but if you're just someone that's commuting and you're happy to walk a couple of blocks you can get a much cheaper price and you're still definitely within the CBD." Rader said Christchurch had the most aggressive "early bird" discounts, at 48.97%. She said that suggested an oversupply or weaker demand fundamentals. "This mirrors strategies seen in other struggling markets where operators prioritise volume over margin to maintain cash flow. "Wellington's more moderate 43.44% early bird discount indicates a more balanced supply-demand dynamic, while Auckland's 43.95% discount suggests healthy competition without desperation." ADVERTISEMENT Book online for savings She said booking online would give people good savings on their car parking. A generic carpark. (file photo). (Source: Operators had improved their offerings and made it easier to access charging facilities and parking via apps, she said. "You don't need to book days in advance or anything, it's all making it very seamless. Those car parking facilities that have a really easy way of being able to book their parking seem to be doing better." Some people who had access to or owned carpark spaces were using platforms to offer car parks to other people when they were not in use, she said. "There seems to be a lot of that happening in Auckland, not anywhere else that I can see." Christchurch had a 28.2% online discount, Auckland 19.9%, and Wellington 12.8%. ADVERTISEMENT She said the shift to hybrid working had affected parking operators. In Auckland, some car parks had additional discounts on Mondays and Fridays. "A clear acknowledgement that these have become the preferred work from home days in many offices… that really shows there's acceptance that the middle days of the week are when parking is more expensive." Few car parks changed hands in New Zealand. "The standout transaction being Downtown Carpark in Auckland's reported sale of $122 million for 2000 spaces at $61,000 per unit, though notably involves redevelopment for mixed-use purposes rather than pure parking investment." Smaller transactions in Wellington (24 Tory Street at $56,610 per unit) suggest varied pricing across different market tiers, however, limited data does make it difficult to benchmark results. "This transaction scarcity reflects the unique nature of parking assets, which are often tightly held by long-term owners or integrated within broader property portfolios. "However, the limited liquidity also creates repositioning opportunities for astute investors who recognise that prime CBD parking sites may hold more value as development land than as income-generating parking facilities."
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Arrest after woman found dead in Tūrangi
Labour has overtaken National as the party New Zealanders consider most able to handle the cost of living, according to the latest Ipsos Issues Monitor survey.
