Disney is rolling out facial recognition technology at its California parks to speed up entry and prevent fraud, the company announced. The move is intended to make entering and re-entering the park easier while combating unauthorized use, and participation is voluntary, with alternative lanes for guests who decline.
At Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, guests can opt into special entrance lanes equipped with cameras. According to Disney, these cameras take a photo and translate it into unique numerical data that serve as a template to verify identity. The system can match this against a photo captured when the guest first used the ticket or pass. Disney says all biometric information is automatically purged after 30 days.
Pretty much every other place is doing the same thing. The police, the government, they're all using facial recognition. I don't think it's going to stop.
Disney has emphasized that it takes the security, integrity and confidentiality of guest data seriously, though it cautions that no digital security system is foolproof. The theme park operator is not alone; The Independent reported that similar technology has been deployed at sports venues like the Intuit Dome's GameFaceID and Dodger Stadium's Go Ahead Entry, both allowing ticket holders to enter with facial scans.
For guests uncomfortable with the scan, traditional lanes remain in operation, where cast members check tickets and photo IDs. These manual-entry lanes are clearly marked with an icon of a head and shoulders crossed by a slash. Despite the availability of both options, guest reactions have been decidedly mixed.
It's a little scary because it's not clear how it's going to be used. With TSA I know that's an option that you can opt out, but I didn't realize you could here so I just did it.
In interviews with The Independent, visitor John LeSchofs said the technology is becoming commonplace, adding, 'Pretty much every other place is doing the same thing. Police and government are using facial recognition, and I don't think it's going to stop.' First-time guest Robert Howell expressed concern over data usage, saying he knew about opt-outs with TSA but was unaware of the choice here and simply went through the process. Sandra Contreras, visiting with her child, told the outlet she felt there was no real option to decline. 'When they were going to do it for my daughter, it freaked me out. I felt we had to do it, and I think it's more concerning for children,' she said.
Ari Waldman, a UC Irvine law professor and expert on digital privacy, told The Independent that making facial scans routine is extremely problematic. 'The normalization of facial surveillance is really problematic,' he said, noting it represents a qualitative shift from other forms of monitoring. In a world of facial recognition, he argued, merely stepping out your door means effectively presenting ID.
The normalization of facial surveillance is really problematic. We can't go around life hiding our faces, so this isn't just next step in surveillance, it's qualitatively different. In a world of facial recognition, when people leave their homes they are effectively showing ID.