New calls for Madison Square Garden to halt use of facial recognition
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- There are new calls for Madison Square Garden to halt its use of facial recognition.
In six months, Madison Square Garden Entertainment utilized the tech to have three people removed from the Garden and Radio City Music Hall.
A group of local leaders say entertainment venues should not have the power to weaponize facial recognition to violate fans' privacy.
They claim CEO James Dolan uses the tech to target his enemies and kick them out of popular venues.
The group also demanded Madison Square Garden Entertainment erase the data it gathered on fans.
MSG Entertainment released a statement saying,
"Facial recognition technology is a useful tool widely used throughout the country, including the sports and entertainment industry, retail locations, casinos and airports to protect the safety of the people that visit and work at those locations. Our venues are worldwide destinations and several sit on major transit hubs in the heart of New York. We have always made it clear to our guests and to the public that we use facial recognition as one of our tools to provide a safe and secure environment for our customers and ourselves."
They also said that the facial recognition technology does not retain images of individuals.
"The facial recognition technology system does not retain images of individuals, with the exception of those who were previously advised they are prohibited from entering our venues, or whose previous misconduct in our venues has identified them as a security risk."
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