Statement from Hackney foodbank in response to recent article

The allegation by the Big Brother Watch group, in a recent Guardian article, that Hackney Foodbank and FaceDonate trade biometric data in return for food donations is completely untrue and wholly misses the huge benefit the technology brings to people in need.

Our reason for choosing FaceDonate was to give visitors the dignity to choose their own food. By giving them digital credit via a secure app, they’re able to choose meals that suit their cultural or dietary needs and they can buy fresh fruit and vegetables too.

We have never had a complaint from any of our visitors about Face Donate – on the contrary; many people have told us what a lifeline it is and what a relief to be offered choice in the food they receive.

Personal data is not traded in any way. In fact, users of the app are not even required to enter their names or addresses. Those using the app unlock their digital payment vouchers by taking a selfie - this generates a secure QR code and it’s that QR code (not the selfie) that is scanned by our trusted partner retailers when users come to pay for their goods. Face Donate is not a facial-recognition app. There is no swapping or trading of face scans or any personal data at all.  The users simply use the app to access their personalised payment vouchers - no personal information is shared with any third parties - the system is as safe and works very much like ApplePay or GooglePay.

“We are saddened that in these times when demand for food banks is through the roof, that the article in The Guardian Newspaper takes such a negative and misleading stance on what is actually a highly-secure, ethical and dignified way of feeding large numbers of people.

“Hackney Foodbank is currently feeding more than 650 people per week. There are huge costs associated with sorting, storing and distributing that amount of food - FaceDonate helps make that process much more efficient, while offering dignity and choice to our visitors.

“We maintain the highest standards of privacy and security for our visitors, we are not, nor will be ever be, trading in biometric data. Our goal is purely to ensure people don’t go hungry and to put an end to food poverty. We chose FaceDonate due to their strong focus on ethics and their commitment to user-protection. Safeguarding our visitors is at the centre of everything we do.”

For further information, please contact our Head of Communications and Fundraising at sara@hackneyfoodbank.org