SYDNEY - Australia's second-biggest appliances chain said on Tuesday it was pausing a trial of facial recognition technology in stores after a consumer group referred it to the privacy regulator for possible enforcement action.

Use of the technology by The Good Guys, owned by JB Hi-Fi Ltd, was "unreasonably intrusive", and potentially in breach of privacy laws, the group, CHOICE, told the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

"The Good Guys ... will pause the trial of the upgraded security system with the optional facial recognition technology being conducted in two of its Melbourne stores," a spokesperson for JB Hi-Fi said in an email.

  - Reuters