NYC city council introduces bills to ban businesses from using face recognition

These bills would ban businesses from using face recognition

FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomassetti has the story.

NEW YORK CITY - In the latest development of New York City's facial recognition debate, city council members have introduced a pair of bills which would ban businesses and buildings from using the technology to identify customers, or tenants, without their consent:

First bill

The first bill is sponsored by Shahana K. Hanif and Jennifer Gutiérrez.

It would amend NYC code to make it illegal for private businesses to use "biometric identifier information," or data received from scans of the face, eye, voice, hand or fingerprints to identify or verify a customer.

Second bill

The second bill is sponsored by Carlina Rivera, Pierina Ana Sanchez and Tiffany Cabán, and would "make it unlawful for an owner of a multiple dwelling to install, activate or use any biometric recognition technology that identifies tenants or the guest of a tenant."

According to the New York Post, both pieces of legislation are slated to formally be introduced at an April 27 city council meeting.

Feud continues

FULL INTERVIEW: James Dolan

James Dolan, CEO of MSG Entertainment, defended his use of facial recognition in an exclusive interview on FOX 5's Good Day New York.

"They’re being extremely aggressive, and they’re saying, ‘we’re gonna take away your liquor license,'" MSG CEO James Dolan said.

It all comes as the feud between the State Liquor Authority and Dolan continues to escalate.

Dolan was found to be using facial recognition technology to ban lawyers from entering MSG, Radio City and the Beacon Theatre if their law firms were involved in lawsuits against any of the venues.

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MSG CEO James Dolan says he has a surprise for the State Liquor Authority, who is attempting to take away his liquor license. For more: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/msg-lawyer-ban-anti-bias-laws-madison-square-garden

As a result, the SLA began proceedings that could strip all three venues of their liquor licenses.

Dolan filed a Supreme Court petition asking a judge to stop those proceedings, calling the enforcement "an abuse of power", but a state Supreme Court judge threw out the lawsuit and quoted this comment made on Good Day New York to back up his decision.

"Go ahead, take away my liquor license," Dolan said. "People are still gonna come to the games, and, you know, honestly yes, alcohol, but we don’t make all our money on alcohol."

What's next?

Judge rules that MSG can still use facial recognition to ban lawyers

FOX 5 NY's Arthur Chi'en has the story.

So, what’s next?

The State Liquor Authority said it will continue its disciplinary process to ensure that MSG complies with its duties under the law, while MSG said it will continue to block certain lawyers from its venues.

"While the judge denied our filing as ‘premature,’ this decision has no impact on our enforcement of our policy, which we will continue to vigorously defend," MSG Entertainment told FOX 5 in a statement.