Privacy Commissioner investigating liquor store ID scans
Posted Jan 23, 2020 11:46 am.
Last Updated Jan 23, 2020 11:47 am.
EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – An investigation is underway into a pilot project that asks you to scan your ID to get into liquor stores.
Alberta’s Privacy Commissioner confirmed Thursday it is looking into the initiative put forward by Alcanna and ID verification company Patronscan.
The program was rolled out at the ACE Liquor Store in northeast Edmonton earlier this week.
The store unveiled the technology in response to the drastic rise in liquor store thefts.
WATCH: Liquor store implements ID scanner before entering
According to Edmonton police, almost 9,600 thefts were reported in 2019, an increase of about 200 per cent from the year before.
The Privacy Commissioner’s office said it first heard of the program through media reports and has not done its own analysis of the technology.
DEVELOPING: Alberta's privacy commissioner is officially investigating ID scanners being used at some #yeg liquor stores. #yyc #ableg pic.twitter.com/1UkAuDPfTC
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) January 23, 2020
The investigation will look at whether the ID scans comply with the province’s Personal Information Protection Act.
The commissioner said right now, it’s not sure how long the investigation will last.
