Facial recognition technology: How it differs from CCTV

Facial recognition technology (FRT) represents a significant leap beyond traditional CCTV, offering businesses new ways to monitor customers. Unlike standard security cameras that record footage for later review, FRT actively scans individuals' faces to create a unique biometric template.

This technology maps distinct facial features, such as the distance between eyes or chin and forehead, to build a digital profile. This template can then be compared against databases for verification or identification purposes. While commonly used to unlock smartphones and at international airports for passport checks via SmartGates, its potential application in everyday retail environments is drawing attention.

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The biometric template is then compared against one or more pre-extracted biometric templates for the purpose of facial verification or identification.

Retailers are exploring FRT's capabilities, particularly in combating shoplifting and retail crime. Bunnings has stated it is preparing to introduce the technology in Australian stores, following a ruling that permitted its use. Supermarkets Coles and Woolworths have also confirmed testing FRT, though they specified these were controlled tests not involving customer data or conducted in New Zealand, respectively.

The prospect of widespread FRT use in stores has ignited privacy concerns among the public. While CCTV requires manual effort to identify individuals from recordings, FRT automates this process, raising questions about data security, potential misuse, and the extent to which personal identification should be integrated into commercial spaces.

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CCTV cameras have been in place in stores for many years but it would take security teams manual effort to review and identify people where needed. The difference here is using software to automatically scan people's faces and identify who they a