Rite Aid deployed facial recognition systems in hundreds of U.S. stores

Central Los Angeles

Rite Aid locations in New York and Los Angeles that have used facial recognition technology tended to be located in areas that are poorer and have fewer white residents.

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

30

45

15

60%+

BEVERLY HILLS

SANTA MONICA

DOWNTOWN L.A.

INGLEWOOD

Percent non-white by census block group

20

40

60

80%

BEVERLY HILLS

SANTA MONICA

DOWNTOWN L.A.

INGLEWOOD

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

Percent non-white by census block group

20

40

60

80%

30

45

15

60%+

BEVERLY HILLS

BEVERLY HILLS

SANTA MONICA

SANTA MONICA

DOWNTOWN L.A.

DOWNTOWN L.A.

INGLEWOOD

INGLEWOOD

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

 

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

Percent non-white by census block group

30

45

15

60%+

20

60

40

80%

BEVERLY HILLS

BEVERLY HILLS

SANTA MONICA

SANTA MONICA

DOWNTOWN L.A.

DOWNTOWN L.A.

INGLEWOOD

INGLEWOOD

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

 

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

30

45

15

60%+

BEVERLY HILLS

SANTA MONICA

DOWNTOWN L.A.

INGLEWOOD

Percent non-white by census block group

20

40

60

80%

BEVERLY HILLS

SANTA MONICA

DOWNTOWN L.A.

INGLEWOOD

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

Manhattan

Rite Aid locations in New York and Los Angeles that have used facial recognition technology tended to be located in areas that are poorer and have fewer white residents.

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

30

45

15

60%+

One store that used the technology in the otherwise affluent neighborhood Chelsea sat near a public housing complex.

Percent non-white by census block group

20

40

60

80%

Multiple stores in upper Manhattan using the equipment were in poorer areas made up mostly of Latino and Black residents.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

Percent non-white by census block group

20

40

60

80%

15

30

45

60%+

Multiple stores in upper Manhattan using the equipment were in poorer areas made up mostly of Latino and Black residents.

One store that used the technology in the otherwise affluent neighborhood Chelsea sat near a public housing complex.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

Percent non-white by census block group

20

40

60

80%

15

30

45

60%+

Multiple stores in upper Manhattan using the equipment were in poorer areas made up mostly of Latino and Black residents.

One store that used the technology in the otherwise affluent neighborhood Chelsea sat near a public housing complex.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

percent of households below poverty line by census block group

30

45

15

60%+

One store that used the technology in the otherwise affluent neighborhood Chelsea sat near a public housing complex.

Percent non-white by census block group

20

40

60

80%

Multiple stores in upper Manhattan using the equipment were in poorer areas made up mostly of Latino and Black residents.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: From October 2019 to July 2020, Reuters visited the 75 Rite Aid locations in Manhattan and the central Los Angeles metropolitan area one or more times to identify locations using the facial recognition technology.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

Demographics of areas surrounding Rite Aids

Of the 75 locations visited in Manhattan and the Los Angeles metropolitan area, stores using the technology were more likely to be in lower-income communities of color.

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

HOUSEHOLDS BELOW POVERTY LINE

35%

30

25

20

15

10

5

20

40

60

80

100%

NON-WHITE POPULATION

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: Demographics shown reflect the census block groups surrounding each Rite Aid location.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

HOUSEHOLDS BELOW POVERTY LINE

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

35%

30

25

20

15

10

5

20

40

60

80

100%

NON-WHITE POPULATION

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: Demographics shown reflect the census block groups surrounding each Rite Aid location.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS

RITE AID STORE LOCATION

LOCATION USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

HOUSEHOLDS BELOW POVERTY LINE

35%

30

25

20

15

10

5

20

40

60

80

100%

NON-WHITE POPULATION

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; Google; University of Minnesota, IPUMS NHGIS; Reuters reporting

Note: Demographics shown reflect the census block groups surrounding each Rite Aid location.

Graphic by Sam Hart | REUTERS GRAPHICS