HSBC stepping up surveillance of staff by adding cameras, biometric access

HSBC plans to step up surveillance of staff and buildings by adding more cameras and biometric access to its premises globally, internal documents seen by Reuters show, a move that comes amid growing concerns about companies’ extensive monitoring of workers.

As part of its “global security strategy,” the bank plans a four-fold increase in the number of cameras at its new building in the City of London, a site about half the size of its existing office in Canary Wharf, an internal presentation by the bank’s protective security team dated May 2025, seen by Reuters, shows.

According to the presentation, the new London building is expected to have an estimated 1,754 cameras, up from about 444 devices installed in its current global headquarters in Canary Wharf in London. 5

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