● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 negative
NYC Council Member Criticizes Madison Square Garden's Surveillance Technology Use
Key points
- NYC Council Member Mamdani criticized MSG's surveillance tech.
- Proposed legislation aims to ban biometric data collection in public.
- MSG uses facial recognition to track individuals at venues.
- MSG previously banned a lawyer due to facial recognition.
- Wired reported MSG's database marks some visitors as 'LGBTQIA'.
NYC Council Member Speaks Out
New York City Council Member Zohran Mamdani has publicly criticized Madison Square Garden's owner, James Dolan, over the company's extensive use of surveillance technology. Mamdani stated that such technologies are 'indicative of much that is wrong in our country today,' expressing concern over their deployment in public venues.
Proposed Biometric Data Ban
In response to these concerns, City Council member Shahana Hanif introduced two pieces of local legislation. These bills aim to prohibit the collection of biometric data, including facial recognition, in public spaces throughout New York City. Mamdani views this draft legislation as an 'important response' to issues raised by current surveillance practices.
Madison Square Garden's Surveillance Practices
The criticism follows a series of reports detailing how MSG utilizes surveillance cameras and face-scanning technology to monitor individuals both inside and outside its venues. One report indicated that MSG maintains a database that categorizes some visitors, including celebrity performers, as 'LGBTQIA' for undisclosed reasons. MSG has sued Wired over its reporting.
Previously, in 2021, MSG gained attention when a woman was denied entry to Radio City, another Dolan-owned venue, after facial recognition systems identified her as an attorney from a firm suing Dolan's company, despite her not being involved in the specific litigation.
MSG's Response
A spokesperson for Madison Square Garden, Mikyl Cordova, stated that Wired's reporting is 'inaccurate and false' and that MSG is 'pursuing legal remedies,' but did not provide evidence to support these claims. New York City has had a requirement since 2021 for businesses to disclose when they collect biometric data from visitors.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
New York City Council Member Zohran Mamdani criticized Madison Square Garden's use of surveillance technology, including facial recognition, calling it problematic. This follows reports detailing MSG's tracking practices and a proposed city legislation to ban biometric data collection in public spaces.