New York City Lawmakers Push to ‘Ban the Scan’ at MSG
At a press conference outside Madison Square Garden, politicians, musicians, and privacy advocates argued for tighter restrictions on how public venues deploy biometric surveillance.
New York City lawmakers are advocating for a ban on biometric recognition technology at Madison Square Garden (MSG), the city's iconic sports arena. City Council member Shahana Hanif, leading a rally against the technology, referred to it as "the scan." In January, Hanif introduced a bill that would prohibit MSG and other public venues from using facial-recognition systems, citing the invasive data collection practices of MSG owner James Dolan.
In one instance, MSG security followed a specific fan's movements around the arena, noting their interactions, activities, and seating arrangements. Hundreds of lawyers and fans critical of Dolan or his properties have been banned from MSG venues. Moreover, MSG maintains a database assigning risk scores to around 400 celebrities and VIPs, with some dossiers even including attendees' race and sexual orientation.
Despite the long history of face-to-face recognition, Hanif argues that MSG's surveillance is unprecedented in scale. She worries that the technology, backed by Dolan's close ties to President Donald Trump, could decrease New Yorkers' safety. The "Ban the Scan" bill currently has 27 endorsements, exceeding half of the City Council, and discussions are underway with Speaker Julie Menin to advance the legislation.
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