Walmart Accused of Creating Voiceprints From Customer Service Calls
Two Illinois customers allege Walmart created voiceprints from service calls without obtaining consent required under the state’s biometric privacy law. The post Walmart Accused of Creating Voiceprints From Customer Service Calls appeared first on TechRepublic .
Two Illinois residents have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against Walmart Inc. alleging the company created biometric voiceprints from customer service calls without proper consent. According to the complaint filed in August 2026, Walmart's AI system records customer calls and extracts vocal characteristics to create a unique voiceprint template that can be used to identify the individual in the future.
The plaintiffs, Carol J. Krupke and Jeanne Thomas, argue that Walmart did not provide the required written release or proper disclosure as mandated by Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The AI system allegedly measures pitch, cadence, tone, and frequency spectra to create the voiceprint, which Walmart uses for potential fraud prevention and other business purposes.
The lawsuit alleges that Walmart's generic notice informing customers about potential recording falls short of the specific consent requirements under BIPA. If successful, the class action could potentially cover numerous customers who unknowingly had their voiceprints collected by Walmart without their knowledge or consent.
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