The Walt Disney Company is currently under a class-action lawsuit regarding the implementation of facial recognition technology at its Disneyland theme park entrances. The legal action alleges that the company has breached visitors’ privacy rights and consumer protection regulations.
The lawsuit claims that Disney fails to adequately inform individuals about the use of biometric data collection, especially concerning children, leading to a lack of awareness among consumers. The suit was initiated by New York attorney Blake Hunter Yagman on behalf of Summer Christine Duffield, a California parent who recently visited Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park with her children.
Disneyland has introduced facial recognition technology at the entrances of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park to enhance reentry processes and prevent fraudulent activities, as stated on the company’s official website. This technology involves capturing images of visitors at the entrance lanes and converting them into unique numerical values, which are then matched with the initial ticket or pass usage data.
According to Disney, the collected data is deleted within 30 days, except in cases where retention is necessary for legal or fraud-prevention purposes. While participation in facial recognition is optional, visitors who choose not to participate may still have their images captured at the entrance lanes for manual ticket validation by staff.
Despite efforts to inform guests through new signage and designated entrance lanes for non-participants, the lawsuit argues that the signage is easily overlooked, and the alternative entrances are insufficient and unclear. The lawsuit highlights concerns that biometric information, when linked to personal identifiers like credit cards or government-issued IDs, could be exploited if compromised.
The legal filing emphasizes the need for explicit consent from guests before using such sensitive facial recognition technology, shifting the responsibility of privacy protection away from the individuals. The class-action lawsuit seeks damages of at least $5 million USD.
The Walt Disney Company has stated that it respects and safeguards guests’ personal information, dismissing the claims made by the plaintiff as lacking merit. Disneyland has yet to respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
