Target shoppers could be owed $5,000 after lawsuit claims facial recognition was used

Shoppers at an Illinois Target could pocket up to $5,000 each

Target customers who’ve used self-checkout might be in for a hefty $5,000 privacy violation windfall if they win a lawsuit against the retail giant.

The American shopping giant is embroiled in a legal battle over accusations that it improperly employed facial recognition tech to spot thieves.

Shoppers at an Illinois Target could pocket up to $5,000 each if the lead plaintiff’s claims are proven against America’s seventh-largest retailer. As per CWB Chicago, the class action lodged in Cook County Circuit Court accuses the Illinois Target of using “cameras and advanced video surveillance systems that surreptitiously collect, possess, or otherwise obtain Biometric Data.”

The legal challenge asserts that Target’s anti-theft cameras breach Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, which bars firms from gathering or storing any biometric data without first notifying the individual or securing written consent.

Target Illinois has come under fire for not informing customers about its use of facial recognition technology to collect biometric data before they enter the store, nor does it ask for consent, reports the Mirror US.

The legal documents define biometric information as any data “regardless of how it’s captured, converted, stored, or shared based on a person’s biometric identifier used to identify the individual.”

The lawsuit alleges that Target operates 14 “investigation centers” and two “forensic labs,” with a camera system capable of detecting customers who spend too much time in front of merchandise, among other potential offenses.

Lead plaintiff Arnetta Dean is seeking compensation for herself and other Target Illinois customers she claims have been affected by the unauthorized collection of personal information. If her claims are substantiated, each impacted customer could receive $1,000-$5,000 per violation within the past five years, as reported by CWB Chicago, potentially costing the discount retailer dearly.

But Target isn’t the only company facing backlash over surveillance concerns; Amazon’s “virtual try-on tool” is also being accused of gathering biometric data without proper disclosure, as it allows shoppers to see how they would look with certain cosmetics.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.