In 2022, the social media app Snapchat was sued over an alleged violation of BIPA pertaining to the data collected from users who used features likes lenses and filters to take photos and videos of themselves. The company ultimately agreed to a $35 million settlement, according to the Rockford Register Star, a USA TODAY Network publication.
In the newer suit against Target, attorneys argued that the retail giant’s stores across the country are outfitted with cameras and video surveillance, many of which have the capability of collecting biometric data. For at least a decade, Target has also made use of an “advanced system of electronic surveillance” at bases spread throughout the U.S., as well as two forensic labs, to “enhance video footage and analyze finger prints.”
While the system is meant to detect shoplifters, the lawsuit contended that it captures any customer’s face who enters the store.
“There are numerous instances of former Target employees detailing its facial recognition system circulating on the internet as well,” the lawsuit said, referencing a TikTok page where customers and ex-employees discuss concerns about the system.