Mamdani Condemns MSG Owner’s Face-Scanning Practices
Mamdani backs restrictions on venue biometrics
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has criticized Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan over the use of surveillance cameras and face-scanning technology at and around company venues. In an interview with Wired, Mamdani said such surveillance technologies are “indicative of much that is wrong in our country today.”
The mayor pointed to two pieces of draft local legislation introduced by City Council member Shahana Hanif. The measures are intended to ban the collection of biometric data, including data gathered through facial recognition, in public places across New York City. Mamdani described the proposed legislation as “an important response to this kind of an issue.”
Reports put MSG’s surveillance practices under scrutiny
The remarks follow a series of Wired reports on surveillance practices associated with Dolan’s company. The reporting described the use of cameras and facial-recognition systems to track people across and outside its venues, including Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall.
One report said the company keeps a database that marks certain visitors, including celebrity performers, as “LGBTQIA,” although the reason for that label was not clear. Dolan subsequently sued Wired over its reporting.
MSG drew wide attention in 2021 after a woman was prevented from entering Radio City Music Hall. Facial-recognition systems had identified her as an attorney at a law firm involved in litigation against Dolan’s company, even though she was not working on that case.
Disclosure rules and the proposed next step
New York City has required businesses to disclose when they collect biometric data from visitors since 2021. The legislation cited by Mamdani would move beyond disclosure by seeking to prohibit biometric-data collection in public spaces.
A spokesperson for Madison Square Garden did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. The episode places the operational use of venue security systems alongside questions about what information is collected, how people are classified, and who can be affected by an automated match.
For businesses deploying biometric tools, the practical implication is to assess the full lifecycle of the data: the purpose for collection, notices to visitors, retention, access controls, database labels and processes for challenging decisions. Disclosure obligations may be only the starting point where local rules and public expectations are shifting.