ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Wegmans is using facial recognition technology in some of its stores to identify people flagged for misconduct. But how does it stop people from stealing the facial recognition data?
A viewer named Thomas writes: “What type of security does Wegmans have in place to prevent hackers or, say, ICE agents from obtaining facial recognition information?”
The company has addressed concerns about how it secures this sensitive information. Wegmans says it retains facial recognition data only briefly, unless it matches someone flagged for misconduct. The data is then securely deleted.
Wegmans explained that the facial recognition technology is used in a “small fraction” of stores where there is an elevated risk. Although Wegmans does not specify which stores nor exactly how long images and videos are saved, the company assures that the data is protected with technical and administrative controls.
Wegmans says “Our technology partner adheres to leading cybersecurity frameworks—NIST, ISO, and SOC 2—to ensure the highest level of protection.” The National Institute of Standards and Technology is a federal agency that publishes cybersecurity guidelines and best practices in the U.S.
Wegmans also confirmed that it does not share facial recognition data with anyone. When asked about what kind of behavior the company considers “misconduct,” Wegmans says it’s any behavior that threatens safety, violates laws or store policies, or causes harm to employees, customers, or property.
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