The hi-tech security industry suffered a blow this week when two
trials using face recognition technology software by bookstore
chain Borders and London Underground were scrapped.
Borders abandoned a plan to install FaceIT, a biometric face
recognition software, developed by Visionics in its flagship
branches in central London.
FaceIT works by scanning the faces of each customer entering the
store and then comparing the image against a police database of
known shoplifters. If a match is not found, the software discards
the image.
Borders told CW360 that the trial had been abandoned because of
concerns about the Data Protection and Human Rights Act.
"In common with most large retailers, we use security cameras
throughout our stores as part of a range of security and loss
prevention tools. We do not use cameras in any private space.
Borders strongly values the human rights and privacy of our staff
and our customers."
However, Joseph Atick, president and CEO of Visionics, told CW360
the real reason for the cancellation of the trial was the store's
fear of alienating customers.
"Borders has always been aware of where it stood legally in terms
of the Human Rights and Data Protection Acts, " he said.
"Borders is worried about negative PR. It is hard to make the
public sympathetic [to its crime prevention causes] because there
is no direct benefit to customers when a store protects itself from
theft."
A second facial recognition initiative, which was to be trialled at
London Underground's Oxford Circus tube station, was this week
abandoned at the discussion stages because of the high costs
associated with implementing the system.
"London Underground was considering a trial. However, it does not
have the finance for installing such sophisticated CCTV
technology," the company said.