Over 100 artists,including Tom Morello and Deerhoof, areboycotting music venuesthat use facial-recognition tech to scan audiences.
What’s going on?
“Surveillance tech companies are pitching biometric data tools as ‘innovative’ and helpful for increasing efficiency and security.
Facial recognition examining a crowd in a public area.Ekkasit919 / Getty Images
Not only is this false, it’s morally corrupt.
This is particularly ironic in venues that don’t allow patrons to take photos or record audio.
First, who wants to be tracked in a public place?
Crowd at a concert.Hanny Naibaho / Unsplash
Then, it’snot even accurate, and that’s for white faces.
For non-whites,the software is even worseat facial recognitionthe very purpose of the whole technology.
Surveillance tech companies are pitching biometric data tools as ‘innovative’ and helpful for increasing efficiency and security.
Not only is this false, it’s morally corrupt.
This leads to misidentifications, wrongful arrests, and harassment.
And that’s when it is being used “for good.”
The technology can also be used for active discrimination.
These concertgoers weren’t even necessarily working on any cases against MSG.
“We should be very worried about privacy concerns from technology like this.
Dangers of Facial Recognition
So why do venues employ this technology?
Another use is for the detection of known felons or troublemakers.
But it doesn’t always get that right.
In reality, this was the first time she had visited the rink.
“Facial recognition is a powerful way to control who has access to a venue.
In addition to Black teens being harassed, face recognition can be used on protesters.
