Did a bar scan your face this Pride weekend?
PatronScan, a facial recognition system used by some San Francisco bars and clubs, reportedly deleted its database of scanned faces after facing backlash over privacy concerns during Pride weekend. The company stated it would no longer store facial data from patrons, marking a shift in its data retention policies.
Background
- PatronScan is a controversial facial-recognition system used by bars and clubs across the US, claiming to identify patrons who have been involved in incidents like fights or sexual assaults. Critics say it’s invasive, error-prone, and used without proper consent.
- The article references "Catro" — likely a company or product (possibly a misspelling of "Catro" or related to surveillance tech) that partners with or provides facial-recognition tools to venues.
- Pride weekend draws large crowds to LGBTQ+ bars and clubs, raising particular concerns about surveillance of marginalized communities. Civil liberties groups argue that scanning faces at Pride events chills free expression and could be used to target attendees.
- California and a few other jurisdictions have begun regulating or banning facial recognition in places of public accommodation, but enforcement is uneven and many patrons are unaware their faces are being captured.