Say cheese! Cameras at Saskatoon malls track shoppers

On top of the directory at Lawson Heights and The Centre Mall is a camera. And whether you like it or not, if you’re looking at the display, you're on camera.

The displays are owned by Cineplex Odeon. Sarah Van Lange, communications director for Cineplex, says the cameras are intended to gather marketing information.

In a statement made to CTV News, Van Lange said the cameras “do not identify, track or store information related to individuals. In other words, there is no personal identification, no pictures stored, and no tracking or profiling of individuals.”

David Williams, a marketing professor at Edwards School of Business, says some people may not like cameras tracking them without their permission, and uses the names “Big Brother” and “Edward Snowden” to describe the cameras.

“People may not like being monitored. What are they doing with this, I don’t have control,” Williams said.

Lawson Heights and The Centre Mall are operated by Morguard, who said the anonymous data helps them identify visitor trends, which in turn is used to determine what retailers and services are needed in the community.

Morguard and Cineplex Odeon said they are “committed to respecting privacy and personal information of visitors.”