Controversial security protocols will be in gear when Beyoncé kicks off the United Kingdom leg of her highly anticipated Renaissance World Tour this week.
Police are planning to use live facial recognition technology to scan crowds on Wednesday around the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
The South Wales Police Department confirmed the specific purpose of the deployment is to “support law enforcement” in efforts to identify people wanted for prior offenses.
The force said locations where the technology will be used will be “clearly marked with signage.” Undergoing facial recognition is not a condition of entry to the venue and will not be in use at the show, Sky News reported.
The last deployment of the technology was Aug. 13 during the FIM Speedway Grand Prix Round 7 at the same venue. More than 20,000 people were scanned, data showed.
The technology, which a court of appeal found breached privacy rights in 2020, has been hailed as “a force for good” by South Wales Police Chief Jeremy Vaughan.
In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has instituted a pilot facial recognition program at 16 airports nationwide.
According to the Associated Press, the technology serves a dual purpose: to make sure people at the airport match their identification, and to verify the authenticity of that ID. A designated officer provides the final sign off during the screening process.