The British data protection authority (ICO) has published guidance aimed at small retailers on the lawful use of personal information for crime prevention.

Faced with crime estimated by the British Retail Consortium at nearly 5,500,000 thefts and 43,000 acts of violence annually against staff, the authority wished to clarify that data protection legislation allows the use of personal information, including CCTV images, to protect businesses. The new guidelines, developed in consultation with sector bodies such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the National Business Crime Centre, provide practical answers, checklists, and document templates. The document specifically addresses the use of facial recognition technology, highlighting the high requirements to be met for its lawful deployment in public places and the preliminary measures to be implemented.