Citi Field's Face Scan: Mets Fans Say It's Not Just for Security

The New York Mets are in hot water after a fan, Chris Dowling, sued the team over their use of facial recognition at Citi Field. Dowling claims the team is collecting "facial identifiers" from fans without their knowledge and using this information for profit. This isn't just about security, he says. The Mets are allegedly scanning fans' faces to check if they're on a "blacklist," and they might be making money from this data. Fans have been noticing this for a while. Some have even posted about it on Reddit, mentioning how the cameras seem to scan their faces, even when they're wearing hats. They feel it's an invasion of their privacy.

The Mets do have a feature called Mets Entry Express, which lets fans enter the ballpark using facial recognition instead of tickets. But Dowling and others argue that the team is going too far by using this technology without clear consent. Facial recognition can be controversial. Nate Wessler, an expert from the American Civil Liberties Union, says it's like a "slippery slope." People buy tickets to a game, not a facial scan. They don't expect their face to be tracked. In May, a similar lawsuit against Madison Square Garden was tossed out. But Dowling's case against the Mets is still ongoing. Both the Mets and Dowling's attorney have declined to comment.

Actions