New York City lawmakers and privacy advocates are pushing to "ban the scan" at Madison Square Garden, calling for legislation to halt the venue's use of facial-recognition technology.
City Council member Shahana Hanif, who proposed a bill to prohibit biometric recognition tech in public venues, slammed Madison Square Garden and its CEO, James Dolan, for "flagrantly abusing biotechnology." The push comes after reports revealed MSG's extensive data collection practices, including tracking fans and maintaining a database with risk scores for celebrities, some detailing race and sexual orientation.
The controversial system has led to individuals, including lawyers involved in disputes with Dolan-owned properties and even a mother barred from taking her daughter to a show, being banned from MSG venues. Madison Square Garden has reportedly tracked fan movements minutely, logging their activities throughout games.
Paisley Fields, a local musician, joined Hanif and representatives from NYC DSA Tech Action and Fight for the Future at a rally outside MSG. Hanif’s "Ban the Scan" bill has gained significant support, with over half of the City Council co-sponsoring it, and discussions are underway to advance the legislation.
An MSG spokesperson defended the practice, stating that "people have been recognizing each other’s faces since the beginning of time—we just do it electronically." However, Hanif expressed concern that New Yorkers may not grasp the extent of surveillance they face, especially with concerns about Dolan's data collection practices and his past political associations.
"New Yorkers need to understand, right now, between AI and all these tools that are being sold to us as being for … our city’s safety, are actually making us less safe," Hanif stated, highlighting the potential risks of widespread surveillance technologies.
