How could facial recognition technology differ from CCTV? While security cameras are a regular feature in many supermarkets, new technology could change the face of how businesses monitor customers. Facial recognition technology (FRT), which scans the features of a person's face, is one of the big talking points in this realm. Some people already use it to unlock their phones but the prospect of it being used by supermarkets has raised privacy fears. What is facial recognition technology? It goes beyond taking a photo. Instead, think of it more as a scan that creates a detailed map of someone's face. It looks for distinct features of a person's face, like the distance between eyes or the distance between your chin and forehead, and uses this information to build what's called a biometric template. "The biometric template is then compared against one or more pre-extracted biometric templates for the purpose of facial verification or identification," the office of the Australian Information Commissioner's (OAIC) website says. Where is it being used? One of the most obvious examples of facial recognition being used is at Australia's international airports, where SmartGates use the technology to check a person's identity against their passport. Another use is in smartphones, which allow users to unlock their devices with a facial scan instead of manually entering a password. But there is the possibility it could become more widespread. Earlier this year, the Administrative Review Tribunal ruled that Bunnings was reasonably entitled to use facial recognition technology in its stores, which experts said could pave the way for other stores to follow suit. Bunnings' website says it is preparing to introduce the technology into Australian stores in accordance with the ruling, with a spokesperson for the store confirming FRT has not been used since a trial in 2021. Last