Anviz Global Illegally Captured Illinois Workers’ Facial Scans, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

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A new class action lawsuit claims Anviz Global has violated a state privacy law by capturing, storing and using certain employees’ biometric data without consent.

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According to the 17-page proposed class action, Anviz provides businesses with biometric-enabled devices, such as its FaceDeep series, for timekeeping and payroll purposes. The privacy suit was filed by an Illinois resident who says she was required by her employer to scan her face on a FaceDeep device each time she clocked in or out of shifts.

The case contends that Anviz has run afoul of Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by collecting and storing the plaintiff’s and other residents’ facial geometry data without first providing written notice and obtaining informed consent.

In addition, the company has also breached the BIPA by failing to publish written policies that detail how long the biometric information will be retained and when it will be deleted, the complaint alleges.

The plaintiff claims she was never informed that Anviz was capturing and storing her facial scans via its biometric-enabled devices, nor did the woman at any point authorize the company to do so, the filing charges.

As the lawsuit tells it, the defendant’s allegedly illegal data collection practices could give way to more severe consequences.

“Unlike key fobs, identification numbers, or swipe cards—which can be changed or replaced if stolen or compromised—facial imaging biometrics are unique, permanent biometric identifiers associated with each employee,” the suit asserts. “This exposes employees who are required to use an Anviz Global device as a condition of their employment to serious and irreversible privacy risks.”

The lawsuit looks to represent any Illinois residents who, in the past five years, had their facial images collected, used or otherwise obtained by Anviz Global within the state through one of the company’s biometric devices.

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