New York Lawmakers Rally to Ban Facial Recognition at Madison Square Garden
City Council member Shahana Hanif leads coalition of privacy advocates and musicians against MSG’s surveillance practices, citing extensive watchlists and celebrity dossiers.
New York City lawmakers, privacy advocates, and musicians gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Friday to champion legislation aimed at prohibiting the use of facial-recognition technology at public venues. The rally supported the ‘Ban the Scan’ bill, introduced in January by City Council member Shahana Hanif, which seeks to curb biometric surveillance in the city’s public spaces.
Hanif, who led attendees in a chant of “ban the scan,” accused Madison Square Garden and its CEO, James Dolan, of flagrantly abusing biotechnology. The legislation has secured 27 endorsements from City Council members, representing more than half of the chamber. Hanif confirmed that discussions are underway with City Council Speaker Julie Menin regarding the advancement of the bill.
The push for regulation follows extensive reporting by WIRED, which detailed Madison Square Garden’s biometric data collection practices. The venue has been reported to maintain watch lists for fans critical of Dolan or the New York Knicks, tracking their movements down to the minute. Additionally, the venue maintains dossiers on approximately 400 celebrities and VIPs, assigning them risk scores and recording details such as race and sexual orientation.
Madison Square Garden has previously taken legal action against WIRED, filing a defamation lawsuit following the publication of these reports. The venue has also banned hundreds of lawyers involved in disputes with Dolan from its properties. In response to the Friday rally, an MSG spokesperson described the technology as electronic face recognition that has been used “since the beginning of time.”
Hanif, a Muslim council member who grew up in post-9-11 New York, argued that current AI tools marketed for public safety may actually reduce it. She expressed particular concern over Dolan’s relationship with President Donald Trump and the extent of data collection occurring when residents attend events at the arena or its associated venues.
The rally featured support from 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. The coalition emphasised the need for New Yorkers to understand the scope of surveillance they face simply by attending a Knicks game or a concert.
As the bill moves forward, Hanif highlighted the broader implications of biometric data retention by private entities with political ties. The ‘Ban the Scan’ bill represents a significant legislative challenge to the widespread adoption of facial recognition in New York’s public infrastructure.
