“Athletic Arenas Dabble in Face Recognition – Privacy Champions Beg Them to Keep Their Eye on the Ball Instead”

“Stadiums Are Embracing Face Recognition. Privacy Advocates Say They Should Stick to Sports”

“In a pandemic-stricken world wrestling with social inequality, the deployment of face recognition software in everyday spaces seems like adding fuel to a raging dumpster fire.” This vivid description, taken straight from a recent article on Wired, kicks off our examination of the use of facial recognition technology at stadiums. It takes a deep dive into a world where privacy is as elusive as a black cat on a moonless night.

Getting identified at a sport stadium just by showing up – it may sound like science fiction, but it’s all too real. Remember the good old days when the biggest worry was if the favorite team was going to win? Well, those days are like a message in a bottle drifting further and further away. Now, it’s all about eyeballing and double-checking which tech firm is metaphorically x-raying that innocent face for who knows what.

Stadiums implore the use of facial recognition technology for security reasons or to ward off unsavory characters. Sounds noble, doesn’t it? Sweep under the rug, however, the fact that this technology is turning us all into lab rats in a large-scale experiment. Critics argue that these systems are just frothing with biases, inaccuracies, and the potential for misuse, proving that all that glitters is certainly not gold.

Facial recognition firms like NEC promote their technology stating its “…proven to help ensure the experiences for fans are positive and safe,”. Safe, maybe, but positive? Questionable. Feeling like there is an omniscient eye continuously watching over can hardly be compared to sipping a beer and enjoying a match.

A little paranoia is healthy, they say. But where is the line drawn between safety precautions and surrendering a constitutional right to privacy? Efforts are being made to reign in this technology, with cities like Portland already banning facial recognition tech. And movements like Stop LAPD Spying are like vigilant watchdogs, ensuring no one crosses the boundary line.

Like a bad dream, most folks find comfort in assuming it’s a future problem – something to worry about tomorrow. At this rate, however, tomorrow is now and the intersection of technology and privacy is right here, making waves in arenas far bigger than a sports stadium.

This critique of facial recognition technology isn’t about being a tech-hermit or grandstanding on the perils of progress. It’s about contemplation, about understanding that the line which separates safety from surveillance state is merely as thick as a concert ticket. So, think, the next time you’re queuing up to cheer on a favorite team, remember you may not be just a face in the crowd – you’re a data point in a rapidly swelling database.

Before long, maybe the scoreboard won’t be the only thing keeping score at stadiums. Now isn’t that a chilling thought for the next popcorn bite?

Read the original article here: https://www.wired.com/story/face-recognition-stadiums-protest/