While attending a Rockettes show with her daughter, an attorney working for a law firm was denied entry because she was spotted by the company's facial recognition system. The case, one of the first of its kind, sheds light on an under reported practice of private companies using identification systems to carry out policy prescriptions. A lawyer named Kelly Conlon went to New York City with her daughter as part of a Girl Scouts field trip to see "The Christmas Spectacular." Conlon claims she was caught by the venue's security staff when she walked through the metal detectors. Conlon said in an interview with NBC New York that one of the guards told her she was picked up. There were signs on the wall that said facial recognition was used. According to reports, Radio City Music Hall introduced facial recognition in an effort to eliminate security. The technology is popular at large sports stadiums. The person told NBC New York that they knew his name. They were aware of the firm I was associated with before I mentioned it to them. They told me I couldn't be there. A New Jersey-based firm has spent the past four years engaged in personal injury litigation against a restaurant venue owned by Madison Square Garden, according to a report. Conlon said it was embarrassment. I just took my daughter to see a show. In a statement to Gizmodo, the company said it maintains a straight forward policy that precludes attorneys from litigating against it. The policy is disappointing to some, but we cannot ignore the fact that litigation creates an adverse environment. The policy was communicated to all attorneys, including Davis, Saperstein and Salomon, according to a statement.
The facial policies of the company are just one of many tools it uses.
We have always made it clear to our guests and the public that we use facial recognition as one of our tools to provide a safe and secure environment and we will continue to use it to protect against the entry of individuals who we have banned from entering our venues.
While abusive uses of facial recognition by police and federal agencies has gained the lion's share of attention in recent years, Conlon's case points to a parallel growing trend of private companies implementing those same systems. Albert Fox Cahn said he wasn't aware of other cases where companies used facial recognition to retaliate against opponents, but warned there's nothing stopping the same thing from happening in the future.
Fox Cahn thinks that New York City should outlaw facial recognition. The ability to track almost anyone at any time is a recipe for disaster. People shouldn't fear that they'll be banned from public life if they fight for their clients' rights in court.
New York did not implement the types of city-wide bans seen in places like Oakland and Boston due to technical reasons. Private businesses can implement the tech and use it against those they see fit.
Fox Cahn said that he was terrified of a world where every corporation could retaliate against whistle blowers.
It looks like that world is coming. Firms that used to work with law enforcement are now serving the private sector. The one-to-one Clearview Consent facial match system will be sold to schools, banks, and other private firms. The environments allow for firms to stay afloat in the security business while avoiding police and other law enforcement groups who have burned public trust. At the same time, firms like MSG are at risk of welcoming a similar wave of consumer trust.
Radio City is on Santa's naughty list. It isn't in the holiday spirit to have mass surveillement.
The statement was added by the company.
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