MSG using Facial Recognition to Kick Lawyer out of Rockettes Show

[upnorth]

Content source

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/12/facial-recognition-flags-girl-scout-mom-as-security-risk-at-rockettes-show/

When Kelly Conlon joined her daughter’s Girl Scout troop for a fun outing to see the Rockettes perform their Christmas Spectacular show at Radio City Music Hall in New York, she had no idea she would end up booted from the show once she entered the building.

Security stopped Conlon, NBC New York reported, because she is a New Jersey lawyer. It seems that Madison Square Garden Entertainment has begun using facial recognition technology to identify any visitor to any of its venues—including Radio City Music Hall—who is involved with any law firm that is actively involved in litigation against MSG Entertainment. Conlon has never practiced law in New York nor personally been involved in litigation against MSG Entertainment. Instead, she is guilty by association, as an associate for Davis, Saperstein and Solomon, which has spent years tangled up in litigation against a restaurant that NBC reported is “now under the umbrella of MSG Entertainment.”

According to Conlon, she became aware of this supposed conflict of interest when security guards approached her in the Radio City Music Hall lobby just as she passed through the metal detector. Over the speakers, Conlon heard a warning about a woman in a gray scarf, then security confirmed the warning was about her, telling her, “Our recognition picked you up.”

MSG defends using facial recognition to kick lawyer out of Rockettes show

MSG Entertainment began using facial recognition at venues in 2018.

arstechnica.com

 

[simmerskool]

MSG defends using facial recognition to kick lawyer out of Rockettes show

MSG Entertainment began using facial recognition at venues in 2018.

arstechnica.com

might be violative of US Constitution?

 

[upnorth]

Regardless of the law, Conlon's fellows at the firm aren't letting it slide, and partner Sam Davis believes they might have the right angle to get MSG to stop barring entry: Threaten the group's liquor license.

According to Davis, MSG's license requires it to admit all members of the public who aren't deemed to be disruptive or a security threat. "Separating a mother from her daughter and Girl Scouts she was watching over — and to do it under the pretext of protecting any disclosure of litigation information — is absolutely absurd," Davis said.

Lawyer mom barred from Rockettes by facial recognition tech

No Girl Scout cookies for you

www.theregister.com

 

[Stopspying]

Lawyer mom barred from Rockettes by facial recognition tech

No Girl Scout cookies for you

www.theregister.com

YouTube

Mental Outlaw's video on this case.

"In this video I discuss Madison Square Gardens Entertainment using facial recognition in the security cameras as the Radio City Music Hall to identify a women who worked for a law firm that made litigation's against the company in the past and kick her out because of that."

 

[upnorth]

The operator of Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall is being probed by New York's attorney general over the company's use of facial recognition technology to identify and exclude lawyers from events. AG Letitia James' office said the policy may violate civil rights laws.

Because of the policy, lawyers who work for firms involved in litigation against MSG Entertainment Corp. can be denied entry to shows or sporting events, even when they have no direct involvement in any lawsuits against MSG. A lawyer who is subject to MSG's policy may buy a ticket to an event but be unable to get in because the MSG venues use facial recognition to identify them.

MSG probed over use of facial recognition to eject lawyers from show venues

MSG says policy is legal, while NY AG alleges it may violate civil rights law.

arstechnica.com

 

[simmerskool]

MSG probed over use of facial recognition to eject lawyers from show venues

MSG says policy is legal, while NY AG alleges it may violate civil rights law.

arstechnica.com

I vaguely recalling looking into this many years ago, and way back then lawyers were not a protected class.