Chicago Cubs lawsuit over biometric

The Chicago Cubs are under legal scrutiny this week, as a newly filed federal class action lawsuit alleges the team-and its security provider-violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). At the heart of the case: claims that facial recognition technology was used at Wrigley Field without properly notifying fans or obtaining their written consent.

The suit, filed on behalf of a named plaintiff and others who attended Cubs games, targets both the franchise and Blue Star Security LLC, which operates under the name Protos Security. The complaint specifically references two game dates-May 25 and August 17-when the plaintiff alleges she entered Wrigley Field and had her biometric data collected without her knowledge.

So what exactly does that mean? Under Illinois law, biometric data includes unique physical characteristics like fingerprints, voiceprints, and facial geometry-essentially, anything that can be used to identify someone in a way that can’t be changed.

Think of it as a digital fingerprint for your face. And in Illinois, companies are required to give written notice and obtain explicit consent before collecting or storing this kind of data.

The lawsuit claims the Cubs and Protos didn’t do that.

The biometric tech in question was introduced ahead of the 2021 season, part of an effort to streamline security and reduce wait times at the gates. Faster entry, fewer metal detector backups-on the surface, it sounded like a win-win. But according to the lawsuit, the implementation may have come at the cost of fan privacy.

One of the more pointed allegations in the lawsuit is that the Cubs actually benefited financially from the setup-potentially cutting down on security staffing costs by using facial recognition in place of traditional screening methods. If true, it raises a significant question: Were the efficiencies gained worth the potential violation of state privacy laws?

The suit is seeking a jury trial and calls for an injunction that would prevent the Cubs and Protos from continuing to collect biometric data without proper consent. It also asks for official certification that BIPA was violated.

While the legal process will take time to play out, the timing of the lawsuit is noteworthy. With playoff baseball looming and Wrigley Field expected to see a surge in attendance, fans will be watching closely to see if this impacts security operations at the ballpark. For a franchise with a rich history and a loyal fanbase, this isn’t the kind of off-field attention anyone wants in September.

At this point, it’s unclear whether the case will lead to any financial penalties or changes in policy. But one thing is certain: when it comes to privacy in the digital age, the ballpark is no longer just about peanuts and Cracker Jack.

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