Guilty until proven innocent: shoppers falsely identified by facial recognition system struggle to clear their names

People shamed and ordered to leave shops after being misidentified then ‘given no help’ to investigate verdicts

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When Ian Clayton, a retired health and safety professional from Chester, popped into Home Bargains one February lunchtime, he was suddenly approached by a stern-looking member of staff.

“Excuse me, can you please put everything down and leave the shop now?” she said. Clayton recalled how he was stunned, and it was only as he was briskly walked past the tills towards the exit that he stopped to ask what he had done.