16/06/2020
From “Rose Bowl Using Facial Recognition Software”
Pasadena Now (CA) (06/15/20) McCray, Donovan
The chief operating officer of the Rose Bowl, George Cunningham, said Monday the iconic stadium has been using facial recognition software for the past three years. Facial recognition cameras have been placed by metal detectors at entrances to the stadium, Cunningham said, adding that they are used to keep track of credentialed personnel and VIPs as well as add an extra layer of security for all visitors. He specifically noted that the facial recognition software is used to keep an eye out for stalkers or those who have been hit with restraining orders by athletes, musicians, and other public figures. “[W]e upload those individuals’ photos, if we have a photo of them in our software, and then our cameras communicate to us if and/or when that individual passes by one of our cameras,” Cunningham said. The software only allows the stadium to track uploaded images and does not scan the faces of everyone walking through the metal detectors, steps intended to mitigate activists’ concerns about data collection and privacy violations. “The software only recognizes individuals it’s told to recognize. … We’re looking for somebody that potentially could be a threat to the 95 percent of the other patrons coming to this event,” Cunningham said.
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