Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2001 03:08:51 -0400 To: Matthew Gaylor <freematt@coil.com> From: Matthew Gaylor <freematt@coil.com> Subject: Borders UK About Face Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"[Note from Matthew Gaylor: I'm tempted to make a pun about Borders making an about face or being two faced, but I won't.]
BORDERS U.K. USES FACE-RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY TO MONITOR CUSTOMERS Borders Books in the U.K. is employing SmartFace technology to compare the "unique digital face-maps" of customers against similar face-maps of known shoplifters. Privacy advocates such as the director of the Scottish Human Rights Centre are outraged by the development: "I can see why they don't want shoplifters in their store, but I would question whether this is proportionate to what they are trying to do. We are talking about having a bank of pictures of everyone going into the shop -- I would consider that a serious breach of privacy. There is no control over what they do with those pictures, or how they are kept -- are they safe? Nor is there much control over whether Borders could sell the information on, or whether people will actually know this is happening." (Sunday Herald 26 Aug 2001)
http://www.sundayherald.com/18007
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann Binkley Borders Public Relations U.S. 734-477-1519
Company Statement Borders (UK) Ltd. Re: Security System Issued: 28 August, 2001
Borders (UK) Ltd. was approached by the British distributors of a new security system that scans the faces of individuals entering the store and compares the images to those of known shoplifters. Borders was offered a free trial of this system in our two London store locations on Charing Cross Road and Oxford Street. Unfortunately, a Borders employee mistakenly communicated that Borders would proceed with the free trial. At the Borders Group, Inc. headquarters, no approval was granted to move forward with the trial. In fact, the company will not participate in a trial of the technology or implement it in the United Kingdom or in any Borders store worldwide.
Borders strongly values the human rights and privacy of our staff and our customers. At Borders, we feel we have an obligation to provide a safe environment for our customers and staff. We promise to continue to do so, while offering the best selection and service available anywhere.
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