On Friday, privacy advocates and musicians rallied outside Madison Square Garden to push for New York City legislation that would ban facial-recognition technology at the venue and other public spaces, according to WIRED. City Council member Shahana Hanif, who proposed the bill in January, led the crowd in a chant of "ban the scan."
The 'Ban the Scan' Bill
Hanif's legislation would prohibit public venues from using biometric recognition technology such as Madison Square Garden's facial-recognition systems, according to WIRED. The measure now has 27 endorsements from City Council members — more than half of the legislative body — and council members are in talks with speaker Julie Menin about advancing it, Hanif said.
"MSG and its CEO, James Dolan, have been flagrantly abusing biotechnology," Hanif said at the rally.
Hanif was joined by Brooklyn-based country musician Paisley Fields, a representative from the democratic-socialist working group NYC DSA Tech Action, and members of the digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future.
What MSG's Facial Recognition System Does
WIRED previously reported that fans who are critical of James Dolan or the New York Knicks can end up on watch lists, with their faces stored in MSG's database. One tracked fan had their movements at a Knicks game cataloged down to the minute, including who they spoke with, when they ate, and where they sat.
Hundreds of lawyers involved in disputes with Dolan or Dolan-owned properties have been banned from his venues, including a mother who was blocked from taking her daughter to a Radio City Music Hall show, according to WIRED.
In July, WIRED reported that MSG maintains a database that assigns risk scores to around 400 celebrities and VIPs. Some of the dossiers also include the race and sexual orientation of those who attend the arena. MSG filed a defamation lawsuit against WIRED later that month.
| MSG data practice | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Watch lists | Faces of fans critical of Dolan or the Knicks are filed in MSG's database |
| Movement tracking | Security tracked one fan's activities at a Knicks game down to the minute |
| VIP risk database | Around 400 celebrities and VIPs are assigned risk scores |
| Dossier contents | Some files include race and sexual orientation |
| Lawyer bans | Hundreds of lawyers in disputes with Dolan have been barred from venues |
MSG's Response
In an emailed statement, an MSG spokesperson defended the company's use of facial recognition, according to WIRED: "People have been recognizing each other's faces since the beginning of time—we just do it electronically."
Hanif's Broader Surveillance Warning
Hanif, who described herself as a Muslim who grew up in post-9/11 New York, told WIRED that surveillance is not new to her. But she said many people may not understand the extent of surveillance they are exposed to simply by attending a Knicks game or a concert at Madison Square Garden or one of its associated venues. She said she is also concerned that Dolan — who has a long relationship with President Donald Trump — is the one collecting the data.
"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 told WIRED.
The dispute shows how biometric data collection can draw legislative scrutiny and legal action, according to WIRED's reporting. The bill has 27 endorsements, more than half of the City Council, and members are in talks with speaker Julie Menin about advancing it.
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