Over 100 music artists, including Tom Morello and Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine, have joined forces in a powerful boycott against concert venues that employ facial recognition technology. The artists, citing concerns over privacy infringement and increased discrimination, have taken a stand to advocate for the elimination of face-scanning technology at live events. Rolling Stone first reported this significant development.
The boycott is organized by Fight for the Future, a digital rights advocacy group, with the ultimate goal of eradicating facial recognition technology from all live events. Alongside the founding members of Rage Against the Machine, notable artists such as Speedy Ortiz, Anti-Flag, Boots Riley, and Deerhoof have pledged their support, joined by more than 80 others. The complete list of participating artists can be found on the Fight for the Future website.
Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello and Zack de la Rocha led a list of 100 artists calling for facial recognition technology to be removed from entertainment venues: https://t.co/O2Fq4gkbTl
— UltimateClassicRock (@UltClassicRock) June 23, 2023
In addition to artists, several venues have also committed to the cause by pledging not to employ facial recognition technology at their events. Among these venues are House of Yes in Brooklyn, the Lyric Hyperion in Los Angeles, and the renowned Black Cat in Washington D.C. In recent months, over 40 prominent music festivals, including Coachella and SXSW, have also vowed to cease the use of facial recognition technology.
Fight for the Future released a statement denouncing facial scanning companies as “morally corrupt” and highlighting the inaccuracies of facial recognition tools, which they argue create more harm than they solve. The organization expresses concerns about a future world devoid of privacy, where constant identification and surveillance become the norm.
While some proponents of facial recognition technology emphasize its potential benefits, such as Taylor Swift’s use of the technology to identify potential stalkers during concerts, there have already been instances of its misuse. Madison Square Garden, for example, has employed facial recognition technology to identify and ban lawyers involved in lawsuits against the venue and its affiliated companies. The forced removal of several attorneys from MSG and Radio City Music Hall prompted an official inquiry from New York Attorney General Letitia James. The New York State Liquor Authority has also initiated proceedings to revoke the liquor licenses of Madison Square Garden Entertainment, the parent company, as reported by the New York Post. In response, MSG has sued the state, emphasizing that litigation creates an adversarial environment.
While Madison Square Garden has faced significant scrutiny, other large venues across the country, including Citi Field in New York, FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, have also implemented facial recognition technology, highlighting the widespread nature of this issue.
Fight for the Future, alongside artists like Morello and Speedy Ortiz, has previously achieved success through similar boycotts. In 2022, Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver discontinued the use of Amazon’s palm-reading technology following a protest organized by the advocacy group.
The collective action taken by artists, venues, and organizations sends a strong message to the live event industry about the importance of privacy and ethical considerations in the use of facial recognition technology. As the movement gains momentum, the spotlight will continue to shine on the implications and consequences of deploying such invasive surveillance methods in the realm of live music.
