(CelebrityAccess) – US-based digital rights group Fight for the Future has launched a new campaign that calls upon music fans, artists, festivals and venues to oppose the use of facial recognition technology at live music events.
The advocacy effort was sparked by news that Live Nation – the parent company of Ticketmaster – has invested in cutting-edge facial recognition technology that enables music fans to associate their digital ticket with their image, before walking into a show.
In a note posted to Instagram Tuesday (Sept. 10), Fight for the Future explained:
“Music fans should feel safe and respected at festivals and shows, not subjected to invasive biometric surveillance. There’s no evidence that using #FacialRecognition at festivals and concerts will keep fans safe. In fact, studies repeatedly show that mass surveillance is largely ineffective at preventing violent crimes. And the technology is currently far from accurate. If #facialrecognition is used widely at large scale events, it will put fans of color, immigrant fans, trans fans, and others at high risk of being stopped, harassed, searched, or even worse falsely arrested or deported. That’s not keeping fans safe, that’s putting them in danger.”
Musicians and bands that have already joined Fight for the Future’s campaign against facial recognition surveillance include Tom Morello, Amanda Palmer, Downtown Boys, Thievery Corporation, Anti-Flag, Gramatik, The Glitch Mob, Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem, Laura Stevenson, Nahko and Medicine for the People, and B Dolan. Summer Meltdown, a music festival in Darrington, Washington, has also committed to not using facial recognition technology.
Check out the advocacy group’s statement in full below.
