San Francisco Bars Reverse Course on Face Scanning Machines at Bars After Community Concerns
Around 2,000 people had signed a petition calling out the face-scanning technology.
A couple of bars in San Francisco’s legendary Castro neighborhood, which had been using facial-scanning machines, have announced they’ll stop doing so after backlash from the local LGBTQ+ community.
Back in June, at least three bars in the historically LGBTQ+ district were using something called a Patronscan Guard+, which is a device by a Canadian company that collects biometric and personal data. The devices collect names, addresses, genders, and patron behavior. That data is then stored in a database and shared within a network of subscribers.
“We have heard the concerns regarding the use of PatronScan at Badlands and Toad Hall in San Francisco, and we are listening,” Toad Hall announced on Instagram. “Effective immediately, we are pausing the use of PatronScan while we review our ID verification and security practices.”
The devices had caused some bar patrons to be concerned about their privacy.
“I was just kind of taken aback,” Har Owen told local outlet Gazetteer SF after going to one of the bars on Memorial Day weekend. “Why is this at a gay bar, of all places?”
She explained that at this political moment, “it’s really not great to have lists of gay people.”
A petition on Fight for the Future against the technology in the Castro bars had gathered around 2,000 signatures, according to SF Gate.
“LGBTQ+ venues that use biometric surveillance technology, including facial recognition, must remove it, scrap the data, and apologize to their patrons. All others should commit to keeping their community safe by rejecting surveillance technology—now and forever,” the petition states.
A spokesperson from Patronscan told SF Gate that they do not use facial recognition technology but a timestamped image of the patron.
A representative from the company said, “We’re aware of the pause on these accounts and have been in contact with the venues to offer our support in providing whatever information or adjustments they need as they work through a review of their security practices. We respect their decision to complete this review and look forward to hearing how we can help.”
“This is not something that is commonplace or acceptable. Even TSA, when you think about it, they give you the option to opt out of face scans, and that’s airport security,” Reem Suleiman, campaign director of Fight for the Future, explained to SF Gate. “Some of the most extreme measures, you still have the option to opt out.”
The outlet notes that there is no opt-out option for patrons at the San Francisco bars, and in fact, a patron has to fill out an online form on Patronscan’s website to have their data taken out of the database.
