Want a Snag With That Face Scan? Bunnings' Surveillance Shocker

Well, well, well... looks like Bunnings got caught with their pants down (figuratively speaking, of course). Turns out they were playing peek-a-boo with our faces for three years, secretly scanning customers in 63 stores like some dystopian discount detective agency. Apparently, they thought they could judge whether we were about to cause a ruckus or swipe a sausage just by looking at us.

The Australian Information Commissioner, however, wasn't amused. They gave Bunnings a good ol' fashioned slap on the wrist (with a wet lettuce leaf, it seems) for not telling anyone about their little face-scanning spree.

Bunnings, in a move that surprises absolutely no one, is appealing the decision. They seem to think they have the God-given right to spy on us while we're trying to buy a new lawnmower. Kmart and The Good Guys, who are also under investigation for similar shenanigans, are probably watching this unfold with a bucket of popcorn.

Where were all the privacy warriors when we were forced to scan QR codes to access our health records just to buy a bag of potting mix during COVID? Suddenly, they've crawled out of the woodwork, clutching their pearls over Bunnings' face-scanning antics. But let's face it, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

You probably unlocked your phone with your face to read this, didn't you? Your face was likely captured at the self-checkout while buying kitty litter and diet dinners. Your number plate was definitely scanned and checked against a database of petrol thieves last time you filled up. And chances are, all that data was linked to your credit card and loyalty card.

Hell, the tech exists to track you ‘pausing’ at the lingerie section at Target, identify you, stalk you on Instagram, and bombard you with bra and panty ads! While that might be annoying (or helpful, depending on your shopping needs), it gets a bit creepy when the same tech is used by those with the power to throw you in the slammer. We're not far off from getting fined for jaywalking because some AI snitch ratted us out, even if it was in the middle of nowhere at 2 AM. Or our cars dobbing us in for going 5km over the speed limit, complete with photographic evidence.

Sure, the "nothing to hide" brigade will cheer on the robo-police and their Bunnings buddies for catching the "bad guys." But for those of us who like our privacy with a side of freedom, it's time to draw a line in the sand.

The privacy commission basically said Bunnings was sneaky and didn't get our permission for their face-scanning shenanigans. But they didn't seem too bothered by the actual face-scanning itself. So, is that okay with us? Are we cool with AI powered cameras judging us everywhere we go, as long as there's a sign (probably written in the legal equivalent of Ancient Latin) telling us they're doing it? Or do we want to tell them to shove their surveillance where the sun don't shine?

It's a tough one, and most of us probably fall somewhere in the middle. But let's have a good hard think about it before we all end up with a criminal record for accidentally stepping on the grass.