The Walt Disney Company is currently under a class-action lawsuit for its implementation of facial recognition technology at the entrances of its Disneyland theme parks. The lawsuit alleges that Disney has breached visitors’ privacy rights and consumer protection laws by not adequately disclosing the use of biometric data collection.
Lead plaintiff Summer Christine Duffield, a California parent who recently visited Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park with her children, filed the suit through New York-based attorney Blake Hunter Yagman. Disney’s introduction of facial recognition technology at the park entrances in April aimed to enhance reentry processes and prevent fraudulent activities.
Disney clarified that images taken at the facial recognition entrance points are converted into unique numerical values and are deleted within 30 days, except when necessary for legal or fraud prevention reasons. While participation in the facial recognition system is optional, visitors can still have their images captured at entrance points without the technology, where staff manually validate their tickets.
The lawsuit highlights concerns about the clarity of signage informing guests about the facial recognition technology and the availability of separate entrance lanes for those opting out. The plaintiffs argue that the current signage is insufficient and easily overlooked, with unclear instructions on how to avoid facial recognition.
The lawsuit stresses the potential risks associated with biometric data being linked to personal information like credit cards or government IDs, creating a valuable data set that could be exploited if breached. Yagman emphasized the importance of obtaining explicit consent from guests before using such sensitive facial recognition technology.
The class-action lawsuit is seeking a minimum of $5 million in damages from Disney for the alleged privacy violations and lack of transparency surrounding the facial recognition technology implementation.