The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has launched an investigation into the use of facial recognition technology in some Bunnings and Kmart stores. It comes a month after consumer advocacy group CHOICE sounded the alarm over the retail giants’ “completely inappropriate and unnecessary” use of the technology without customers’ knowledge. Bunnings said it uses it to “maintain a safe and secure environment” in its stores, but the OAIC look-see will probe the retailers’ handling of the biometric data it collects. Speaking of privacy concerns, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned Aussie TikTok users to “be careful” about what information they share after the Chinese-owned company admitted the data could end up in the hands of the Chinese Government.