New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has criticized the use of surveillance technology by Madison Square Garden’s owner, saying the technology should not be permitted. In an interview with Wired on Tuesday, Mamdani described surveillance tools as “indicative of much that is wrong in our country today.”
Mamdani pointed to two pieces of legislation introduced by City Council member Shahana Hanif that would seek to ban the collection of biometric data, including through facial recognition, in public places across the city. He called the proposals an important response to the issue.
The comments follow Wired reports on surveillance practices at venues owned by James Dolan. One report said the company maintains a database that labels some visitors, including celebrity performers, as “LGBTQIA,” without a clear explanation for the designation. Dolan sued Wired over its reporting.
In 2021, a woman was barred from Radio City after facial recognition identified her as an attorney at a law firm suing Dolan’s company, though she was not involved in the case. A spokesperson for Madison Square Garden, Mikyl Cordova, told TechCrunch that Wired’s reporting was inaccurate and false and said MSG was pursuing legal remedies, but did not provide evidence for the claim.
New York City has required businesses to disclose when they collect visitors’ biometric data since 2021.
Sources: TechCrunch.