City Council members and privacy advocates are rallying behind legislation to prohibit the use of biometric facial-recognition technology at venues like Madison Square Garden.
Key facts
- •Council member Shahana Hanif introduced the 'Ban the Scan' bill in January.
- •The legislation currently has 27 endorsements from City Council members.
- •MSG maintains a database that assigns risk scores to roughly 400 celebrities and VIPs.
- •The venue has used facial recognition to track the specific movements of fans at New York Knicks games.
- •MSG filed a defamation lawsuit against WIRED in July following reports on its data collection practices.
Privacy advocates and musicians gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Friday to support legislation aimed at banning facial-recognition technology in New York City public venues. City Council member Shahana Hanif, who introduced the bill in January, led the rally to protest the venue's use of biometric data collection. The proposed legislation currently has 27 endorsements, representing more than half of the City Council.
By the numbers
Biometric Data Practices at MSG
Madison Square Garden has faced scrutiny for maintaining databases that track fans, including those involved in legal disputes with CEO James Dolan or his properties. Reports indicate the venue tracks specific movements of attendees and maintains risk scores for approximately 400 celebrities and VIPs, with some dossiers including information on race and sexual orientation. In one instance, a mother was reportedly blocked from attending a show at Radio City Music Hall due to her involvement in a dispute with Dolan-owned properties.
Legislative Status and Response
Council members are currently in discussions with speaker Julie Menin regarding the advancement of the 'Ban the Scan' legislation. In response to the rally, an MSG spokesperson stated that the use of electronic facial recognition is comparable to people recognizing each other's faces. Hanif expressed concerns regarding the extent of surveillance and the potential risks associated with the collection of such data.
Timeline
- JanuaryCouncil member Shahana Hanif proposed the bill to prohibit biometric recognition technology.
- JulyWIRED reported that MSG maintains a database of risk scores for celebrities and VIPs.
- FridayAdvocates and musicians held a rally outside Madison Square Garden to support the legislation.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Wired.
