Taylor Swift Tracks Her Stalkers at Concerts Using Facial Recognition

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photo: Jenna Beamer (CC 2.0)

Taylor Swift’s Rose Bowl security in May 2018 included the use of facial recognition technology on millions of unwitting fans.

The security system was monitored from more than 2,000 miles away in an attempt to identify known stalkers.

A kiosk showcasing highlights of Swift’s rehearsals recorded the faces of those who looked at the kiosk.  A command post in Nashville matched images to hundreds of known Taylor Swift stalkers.

The information was first disclosed this week by Rolling Stone.

The chief security officer at the event says the kiosk was designed so people would stop and stare at it, sending the facial recognition software into action.

Right now, it’s unclear if the footage obtained from the kiosk was kept on a server somewhere.  It’s also unknown if the security feature even identified any well-known stalkers of Swift or if any action was taken if so.

Concertgoers give up their rights to privacy by attending these events at private locations.

Once you’re on the premises, the owners of the venue can subject attendees to any type of surveillance, including facial recognition.  Accordingly, you should expect to see more of this in the future as technology progresses.

While the use of facial recognition software for concerts is a relatively new occurrence, it’s popping up in the news more often.

Back in April, Chinese police arrested a 31-year-old man who was hiding in a concert of 60,000 people at the Nanchang International Sports Center.  China’s Sharp Eyes monitoring system checks the movement of all its citizens.

Facial recognition technology is also the new future of purchasing tickets to live events and performances.

Ticketmaster is reportedly considering using facial scans as a replacement for tickets in the future.  If the technology catches on at concerts and other live events, it could expand to movie theaters or any performance venue to replace ticketing entirely.