France: National Commission on Informatics and Liberty issued clarification on use of augmented camera for selling products prohibited to minors

On 11 July 2025, the National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) issued a clarification on the use of augmented cameras for selling products prohibited to minors. CNIL highlighted that the cameras estimate customers’ age in retail settings selling age-restricted products including tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. The CNIL ruled that these devices, which scan and analyse all faces by default to estimate age, constitute personal data processing that is neither necessary nor proportionate under the General Data Protection Regulation. Since the technology only provides an estimate and cannot replace official age verification, businesses remain obliged to check identity documents. Moreover, the continuous and automatic operation of these cameras infringes on individuals’ rights, including the right to object.