On Tuesday night, one New York attorney had an experience she won’t soon forget – she was kicked out of a Rockettes show at Radio City Music Hall after facial recognition technology identified her as a customer who had previously received a refund.
The attorney, Elizabeth Reiko Tully, posted about the bizarre incident on Twitter, detailing how she had gone to the music hall to watch the Rockettes perform on their New Years Eve show. During the performance, an usher came up to her and escorted her out because a staff member informed them that her ticket had been refunded. Tully insists that she did not get a refund for the ticket she purchased; however, it was later revealed that her facial features were identified through facial recognition technology as a customer who had received a refund.
Although facial recognition technology is nothing new, this story highlights the implications that this technology can have on consumer privacy. Facial recognition technology is being used by more and more companies to store customer information and track customer purchases. This incident raises questions regarding customer privacy and the extent to which this technology can be utilized without encroaching on personal rights.
Tully described the incident as “humiliating” and expressed her worries about how her information could be used against her. She also noted that the experience left her feeling “powerless and confused”.
This incident highlights the need for more clarity regarding facial recognition technology and its use by businesses. While the technology is a useful tool for identifying customers and tracking purchases, this incident strongly suggests that there are limits to its use when it comes to the realm of customer privacy. Moving forward, companies should focus on making sure that their policies related to facial recognition technology are clear and protect customers from potential invasions of privacy.