Famed California bars forced to boot draconian surveillance system after privacy backlash

Two famed San Francisco gay bars are abandoning a facial recognition technology after furious locals launched a boycott over breach of privacy.

Badlands and Toad Hall said they would stop using the AI-powered platform PatronScan, which is meant to verify IDs and ages and flag problem patrons across all venues, after learning about the campaign.

“Effective immediately, we are pausing the use of PatronScan while we review our ID verification and security practices,” the post read. “The safety of our guests and staff remains a priority, as do privacy and trust. Our security teams will continue to thoroughly check IDs manually during this time.”

Badlands, a mainstay in SF’s Castro District, reopened after the pandemic and offers affordable cocktails and Top 40 hits. Meanwhile, Toad Hall is a bar with much LGBTQIA+ history behind it. Both came under scrutiny in June after the Gazetteer SF first reported that they were using PatronScan’s Guard+ product.

The move is seen as a win for privacy advocates. Fight for the Future — the advocacy group behind a campaign that was joined by Rage Against the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello, The Coup’s Boots Riley and dozens of other high-profile musicians — celebrated the local venues’ decision as a victory.

“When we fight we WIN!” read a post on Instagram from Fight for the Future. “And we’re going to keep fighting until dangerous AI surveillance tech is banned at as many bars and venues across the country as possible.”

There are currently only three San Francisco bars — Mix, Oracle Park and 1015 Folsom — still using face-scanning technology, per AI Action’s Club 1984 website.

All this comes after Madison Square Garden’s use of facial recognition technology to assemble an “exclusion list” led to lawsuits in 2022.

Grocery Outlet stores in the Bay Area also began using facial recognition software to identify shoplifters in July, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Multiple consumer tech advocacy groups have raised issues about facial recognition tech’s accuracy, especially when it comes to identifying Black and brown people.

Plenty of music festivals have also signed a campaign pledge against using the technology. But events like Outside Lands and the iHeartRadio Music Festival have decided not to participate.

Evan Greer, director of Fight for the Future and a transgender musician, said in a statement that the use of the AI software is especially problematic for more vulnerable communities.

“Queer and trans people want to be able to dance and gather and party without fear,” Greer said in a press release. “We won’t stop until gay bars across the country commit to never using this type of invasive and discriminatory surveillance tech at the door.”

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