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GameStop customers may soon benefit from a $4.5 million settlement, following a lawsuit that accused the retailer of secretly recording them in 12 states without their knowledge or consent. The lawsuit alleged that GameStop violated consumer protection laws in states like California, Florida, and New York by recording customers’ facial expressions and voices during transactions without their consent.
The settlement also requires GameStop to put procedures in place to ensure that it complies with state laws when recording customer interactions in the future. Specifically, GameStop must inform customers if their facial expressions or voices will be recorded and obtain their express consent before doing so. This is a significant win for consumer privacy rights, as it reinforces the importance of transparency and consent when it comes to recording customer interactions.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2018 by a regular customer who noticed a small rectangular camera lens on the counter of a GameStop store in San Diego. The customer asked the store manager about the purpose of the camera, to which the manager revealed that it was used to record customer interactions during transactions. This revelation led to the lawsuit, which eventually led to the $4.5 million settlement and new privacy procedures for GameStop.
The lawsuit alleged that GameStop’s recording practices violated various state laws, including California’s Invasion of Privacy Act, which prohibits the recording of confidential communications without the consent of all parties involved. The lawsuit also accused GameStop of violating California’s Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law by failing to disclose its recording practices to customers. By settling the lawsuit and agreeing to new privacy procedures, GameStop has taken steps to address these allegations and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
This settlement serves as a reminder to retailers that they must be transparent about their recording practices and obtain customer consent before recording interactions. Customers have a right to know if they are being recorded and to decide whether or not they are comfortable with it. By ensuring that customers are aware of and consent to being recorded, retailers can uphold consumer privacy rights and avoid potential legal issues like the one faced by GameStop.
Overall, the $4.5 million settlement between GameStop and its customers highlights the importance of transparency and consent when it comes to recording customer interactions. By implementing new privacy procedures and agreeing to settle the lawsuit, GameStop has taken a step in the right direction towards respecting consumer privacy rights and complying with state laws.