Two popular San Francisco gay bars have paused their use of face-scanning technology following backlash from members of the LGBTQ+ community. Castro district bars Toad Hall and Badlands announced on social media that they are temporarily suspending their use of PatronScan, a system that scans identification and customers’ faces and stores the information for up to 21 days. The technology has faced criticism from some LGBTQ+ advocates and community members who worry personal data could be vulnerable to hacking or potentially used in targeted hate attacks. The controversy has raised broader questions about privacy and security at LGBTQ+ venues, where some patrons have expressed concerns about how sensitive information is collected and stored. Toad Hall and Badlands say they will use the pause to review their current identification verification and security procedures. The bars have not said whether they will permanently discontinue the technology, but say the review will help determine how to better protect customers while maintaining safe and secure operations.
