Leisure Firm in UK Told Scanning Staff Faces is Illegal

Bruce66423 writes: The data watchdog has ordered a leisure centre group to stop using facial recognition tech to monitor its staff. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says Serco Leisure has been unlawfully processing the biometric data of more than 2,000 employees at 38 UK leisure facilities. It did so to check staff attendance - a practice the ICO said was 'neither fair nor proportionate.'

Serco Leisure says it will comply with the enforcement notice. But it added it had taken legal advice prior to installing the cameras, and said staff had not complained about them during the five years they had been in place. The firm said it was to 'make clocking-in and out easier and simpler' for workers. 'We engaged with our team members in advance of its roll-out and its introduction was well-received by colleagues,' the company said in a statement.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.