Facial recognition systems can be used in businesses as an effective way of combating retail crime without affecting the shopping experience. Unfortunately, the broad adoption of this great technology is hindered by the perception of the public towards facial recognition. Most of the negative publicity surrounding this technology is its use by government agencies and law enforcement in public surveillance settings. However, some of this negativity has also affected the use of facial recognition in the retail sector and businesses. Here are a few tips to ensure that your business uses facial recognition in a responsible manner.
Informing Customers When dealing with consumers, communication is important. Ensure you post visible signs at your business entrances to inform customers you are using facial recognition technology. Some states and cities necessitate these signs to be used. However, it is a goof practice to post them at your business locations so that people know. Make sure your signage emphasizes that you are using facial recognition as a commercial business security solution for identifying security threats and not spying on shoppers. Empty Database Most companies that provide facial recognition software do not offer a watchlist to their customers. It is advisable that you build a watchlist based on renowned felons, dangerous ex-employees, and previous offenders. The list of suspects should be restricted and justified for every retail location. In such a case, you can prevent unwarranted invasion into the privacy of citizens, reduce false arrests, and strengthen public confidence in facial recognition for government agencies. Enhance Data security You must ensure that all biometric data you are collecting is safe from any prying eyes. You should set up proper safeguards to help defend against data breaches. You can achieve this by purging any data that may no longer be needed. You can also use privacy mode and GDPR to effectively blur faces of people that are not listed on your company’s watchlist. When you activate this feature, only the known threats will be visible. Privacy mode helps to discard all detections of any non-enrolled individuals. Operational Diligence Whenever a match is made and alerts created, the security teams and law enforcement officials should act responsibly. You need to determine whether potential matches require further investigations before rushing to apprehend specific individuals. You should not use this technology to determine whether someone is innocent or guilty. Facial recognition is now becoming a crucial tool for businesses that want to curb loss prevention while enhancing customer experiences. However, there are lots of misconception about mood detection software solution that have affected its adoption. With a better understanding of how facial recognition technology works, consumers will have heightened confidence and trust in emerging technologies. Consumers will understand that these technologies are meant for enhancing their shopping experience and protecting the staff and the retail store from physical or commercial threats.
