Thread by @fightfortheftr

Music fans should feel safe and respected at festivals and shows, not subjected to invasive biometric surveillance. Today we're launching a new campaign mobilizing artists, fans, and promoters to oppose the use of #facialrecognition at live music events. BanFacialRecognition.com/festivals

#FacialRecognition is a uniquely dangerous form of surveillance. It enables ubiquitous monitoring of an entire crowd and could easily be used to target music fans for things like minor drug possession, immigration status, or having a warrant. buzzfeednews.com/article/evangr…

There's no evidence that using #FacialRecognition at festivals and concerts will keep fans safe. In fact, studies repeatedly show propublica.org/article/whats-… that mass surveillance is largely ineffective at preventing violent crimes. And the technology is currently far from accurate.

Worse, #facialrecognition surveillance software exhibits systemic racial bias. It programmatically misidentifies people of color, trans people, women, and young people in ways that exacerbate existing forms of discrimination. nytimes.com/2019/07/10/opi…

If #facialrecognition is used widely at large scale events, it will put fans of color, immigrant fans, trans fans, and others at high risk of being stopped, harassed, searched, or even worse falsely arrested or deported. That's not keeping fans safe, that's putting them in danger

We're calling on all artists to speak out & oppose the use of #facialrecognition at their performances.

We're calling on fans to sign a petition and tweet at their favorite artists asking them to join.

We're calling on festivals and promoters to commit to no face surveillance

Join us and take action at banfacialrecognition.com/festivals

Thank you to the artists and festivals who have already come out in support of this campaign opposing the use of #facialrecognition at shows. @amandapalmer @BDolanSFR @DowntownBoys @SummerMeltdown

Everyone please reach out to your fave artists and festivals and ask them to join