Rite Aid Banned from Facial Recognition Tech Use for 5 Years Due to Misuse

Rite Aid has been banned from using facial recognition technology for five years after its surveillance system incorrectly identified potential shoplifters, particularly targeting Black, Latino, Asian, and female shoppers. The settlement with the Federal Trade Commission addresses allegations that Rite Aid did not do enough to prevent harm to its customers and implement proper procedures. The technology led to thousands of incorrect matches, including an incident where employees stopped and searched an 11-year-old girl. Rite Aid used the technology in hundreds of stores without informing customers. Critics argue that facial recognition technology leads to a higher rate of misidentification for people of color. Rite Aid disagrees with the allegations but is glad to have reached an agreement to resolve the issue.