Upon being recognized by a facial recognition system, Kelly Conlon, a lawyer from New Jersey, claims she was denied entry to a Rockettes performance at Radio City Music Hall.
Conlon says that because of her involvement in a legal proceeding against the organization that owns the hall, she was denied access to the building, The Verge writes.
Guards Prevented Conlon From Entering The Premises Without Identification
According to Kelly Conlon, she and her daughter traveled to the city from New Jersey last month as part of a Girl Scout outing to see the performance, but she was denied access.
The lawyer said she was ultimately refused entry to the show by security personnel despite the fact that she is not a party to the lawsuit the company is facing from Conlon's firm.
Conlon is a member of the legal team at Davis, Saperstein and Solomon in New Jersey, which has been fighting for years to have a restaurant venue that is now managed by MSG Entertainment sued for personal injury.
She told NBC News that her daughter and the other Girl Scouts were able to see the performance, while she embarrassingly waited outside.
The owner of Radio City and numerous other venues, Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG), hasn't said whether facial recognition alerted security to Conlon's presence.
MSG also made it clear that it uses facial recognition technology to provide a safe and secure environment and to safeguard establishments from the entry of prohibited people.
The company, however, would not disclose specifics about its system, such as the manufacturer of the facial recognition technology it employs.
Read More: Use of Live Facial Recognition by UK Police Violates Ethics, Human Rights: Here's Why
Conlon's Experience Shows The Possible Effects Of Facial Recognition Technology
These facial recognition systems are created by a large number of businesses, some of which sell them to organizations like governments and businesses.
The company has, however, had experience with facial recognition technology as of early 2018, according to a report from The New York Times.
Sam Davis, a partner at the company, stated to NBC New York that Conlon's experience demonstrates the potential drawbacks of the widespread application of facial recognition technology.
For instance, it came under fire for being used as a tool by police to make wrongful arrests and for secretly monitoring people of color and other more vulnerable groups.
"Taking a mother, 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 says.
In June, MSG Entertainment introduced a policy banning attorneys from companies suing it from entering its venues while litigation is ongoing.
The Verge reports that a different case determined that plaintiffs "may not be denied entry into any shows where they possess a valid ticket," noting that MSG did have the right to initially refuse to sell them tickets.
In a statement, a representative for MSG reaffirmed that safety is their top priority and that facial recognition is only one of the methods they employ, CNBC reports.
Additionally, MSG Entertainment stated that they are confident their policy complies with all relevant laws, including those set forth by the New York State Liquor Authority.
Related Article: Microsoft Has Decided to Restrict Access to Its Facial Recognition Tools
