A Fairway market located in the upper west side of New York City is under scrutiny for its use of facial recognition technology to prevent shoplifting.
While this technology has been implemented by several large retailers to catch repeat offenders, it has raised concerns about privacy and the misuse of collected data.
A sign outside the store warns customers that biometric data, including scans of their eyes, faces, and fingerprints, may be collected.
Fairway claims that the technology has helped reduce retail crime, which has seen a surge across the country, with shoplifting complaints in the five boroughs increasing by 45% from the previous year.
However, critics argue that there is a challenge around how the data is utilized, especially if it falls into the wrong hands.
New York City law mandates that businesses post signs warning customers of any biometric surveillance that may be conducted, and Amazon is currently being sued for failing to follow these requirements.
