Zawistowski Wants Prohibition on Facial Recognition in Marketing

HARTFORD—State Rep. Tami Zawistowski wants to prohibit retailers from using facial recognition software to track the behavior of their customers for marketing efforts, and she’s asked two statehouse committees to consider this issue that’s been subject of a growing nationwide conversation.

“The level at which our movements, habits, and behaviors can be tracked has approached a level that’s invasive if not creepy,” said Zawistowski, who serves the 61st General Assembly District that covers Suffield, East Granby and part of Windsor. “Considering increasing citizen and legislative scrutiny on issues of data security and privacy, this is an issue that’s worthy of conversation.”
Retailers use facial recognition software for security purposes as well as loss prevention, both of which would be permissible applications under Zawistowski’s legislative concept.

The use of facial recognition software could see retailers track how their customers move through a store, how much time they spend there, who they talk to in its aisles, and what kind of mood they’re in at different times of day. Nationwide, its use has seen privacy and civil liberties advocates push a conversation that’s gained significant attention among people leery of Big Data-style intrusion.

Zawistowski said she’s particularly concerned about the software’s impact on children and seniors.

“These are groups of people who are unable to help themselves should their information end up in the hands some unsavory character through a data breach,” she said. “Parents shouldn’t have to worry that a video clip of their child will end up in a marketing dossier sitting on a server somewhere.”

The proposal could be considered by either the Commerce or General Law committees.