T-Mobile, Amazon, and Target Sued for Illegally Collecting Facial Recognition Data

by Bianca Gonzalez | Biometric Update

More companies with household names familiar to consumers are getting hit with lawsuits for alleged violations of BIPA and New York’s Biometric Identifier Information Law. T-Mobile is facing a suit for its use of facial recognition for theft prevention in New York City stores. Target is similarly accused of violating BIPA for its use of facial recognition to prevent theft. Amazon faces its own BIPA lawsuit by collecting workers’ scans.

T-Mobile sued after anti-theft facial recognition use in stores in NYC

T-Mobile used facial recognition for theft prevention in its stores in New York City, a class action lawsuit claims, according to Bloomberg Law.

Valeriia Borzenkova claims that the company collected her biometrics during visits to at least four different locations in the city without her consent.

The company allegedly used its facial recognition, eye scan, and voiceprint technology systems from everyone who enters the store “for loss prevention, generating profits by reducing the number of stolen goods.”

The suit argues that T-Mobile has therefore collected biometric data from consumers “for its own pecuniary benefit.”

Target named in BIPA suit

One woman in Illinois has filed a lawsuit against Target for illegally collecting and storing her biometrics without her consent, in violation of BIPA, according to USA Today.

The lawsuit claims that Target’s surveillance systems secretly collect face and fingerprint scans from customers for theft prevention.

“Target does not notify customers of this fact prior to store entry, nor does it obtain consent prior to collecting its customers’ biometric data,” the lawsuit claims. Read Full Article >