Mamdani Backs Draft NYC Biometric Ban, Faults Dolan — SkimNews
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- Zohran Mamdani told Wired on Tuesday that Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan’s surveillance technology should not be allowed, calling such systems “indicative of much that is wrong in our country today.”
- Shahana Hanif introduced two New York City bills aimed at banning biometric-data collection, including facial recognition, in public places across the city; Mamdani called the draft legislation “an important response.”
- Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan relies on surveillance cameras and face-scanning technology to track people across and outside his venues, according to Wired’s reporting.
- Wired reported that Dolan’s company maintains a database that marks some visitors, including celebrity performers, “LGBTQIA,” for unclear reasons; Dolan subsequently sued Wired over the reporting.
- Radio City banned a woman in 2021 after facial-recognition systems recognized her as an attorney at a law firm suing Dolan’s company, though she was not involved in the litigation.
- Mikyl Cordova, an MSG spokesperson, told TechCrunch that “Wired’s reporting is inaccurate and false,” said MSG is pursuing legal remedies, and provided no evidence for the claim.
- New York City has required businesses to disclose when they collect visitor biometric data since 2021.
Why it matters: For New York City venue operators, the stakes are concrete: since 2021, businesses have had to disclose biometric collection, while Shahana Hanif’s two bills, backed by Mayor Mamdani, target facial recognition and other biometric collection in public places. The drafts seek an outright collection ban rather than disclosure alone, directly affecting MSG’s facial-scanning practices.
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