Universal Parks and Resorts & Facial Technology

[Nick]

I think it’s a fair question. By the time facial recognition tech is feasible on the scale a theme park will need, privacy concerns will have likely shifted.

It was always understood that companies had our data if they wanted it... but to hear "privacy concerns will have likely shifted" is concerning even to me, and I normally don't think twice. I know they want to do tracing for the virus (which is understandable), but I don't think that should all of a sudden mean that we expect our facial recognition to be gathered at a theme park. There's something a little too Westworld about that and is unsettling to think about in a way.

I know they probably have most of the same info now anyway, but there's just something about giving up your facial ID that has a little bit too much of a "robots taking over the world" vibe for me.

 

[Alicia]

Universal patented some neat tech that would allow guests to set up the facial recognition themselves when they arrive. They scan their ticket for the first time at a self serve kiosk, and it takes their photo, and saves it in a database with their ticket info. Then, they just walk into the park. It’s pretty neat. It could also lead to hands free payments at shops, dining plan redemptions at dining, Express passes, etc., all without ever having to reach into your pocket.

 

[Nick]

Universal patented some neat tech that would allow guests to set up the facial recognition themselves when they arrive. They scan their ticket for the first time at a self serve kiosk, and it takes their photo, and saves it in a database with their ticket info. Then, they just walk into the park. It’s pretty neat. It could also lead to hands free payments at shops, dining plan redemptions at dining, Express passes, etc., all without ever having to reach into your pocket.

So what MagicBands do, except with your face.

 

[Alicia]

So what MagicBands do, except with your face.

Pretty much.

 

[Nick]

Pretty much.

I gotta admit, it would take a lot less infrastructure work to do this than it did for MM+, but I still have concerns on the privacy end. Again, maybe unfounded, but I feel like we can’t just keep moving the goal posts with privacy concerns.

 

[quinnmac000]

Even if face tech isn't installed...theme parks do have CCTV which do have the ability to track people throughout the park. The concern is kinda moot point.

 

[tielo]

As a former IT guy I am confident to say this is like using the finger scanner. The finger scanner doesn't log you fingerprint but a set of point on your fingerprint. These points are matched with a system. To speed that system up it only will have a very limited data set (does this profile has a ticket yes/no).
Your facial details are like a fingerprint, unique. It's about how far your eyes stand apart and how the relation from your chin and your mouth is, stuff like that. It only looks at certain points and log them as an algorithm.
I'm sure team members with tablets will have a bit more information to access if needed (say your photo and name) if the system fails.
Only problem I see is with twins, their facial features are extremely close.
As long the data is stored secure it's as safe as any other system there is.

 

[Scott W.]

If Disney World move to the same entry system as Disneyland, they take your photo as soon as you enter the park and match it your ticket. They will also have your face matched to your magic band if you get any on ride photo. Universal will also have your photo if you are using Express Pass.

Social media eased the public into freely showing what they look like. I don't see it as a big deal.

 

[GadgetGuru]

Short-term, facial recognition is dead. You can’t do facial recognition on people wearing masks. It’s a problem for anybody with a phone with Face ID.

Long term, I think masks will kill facial recognition. I think we’re going to see more people wearing masks when they’ve got a cold. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more phones switch towards fingerprint scanners

 

[shiekra38]

Even if face tech isn't installed...theme parks do have CCTV which do have the ability to track people throughout the park. The concern is kinda moot point.

The same thing happened when then started scanning your fingerprints...Technology comes with conspiracy

See: 5G towers

 

[Scott W.]

I wonder how this technology is working now?

 

[Teebin]

I wonder how this technology is working now?

A keypad automatically pops up and asks you to enter your passcode....

 

[tielo]

Short-term, facial recognition is dead. You can’t do facial recognition on people wearing masks. It’s a problem for anybody with a phone with Face ID.

Long term, I think masks will kill facial recognition. I think we’re going to see more people wearing masks when they’ve got a cold. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more phones switch towards fingerprint scanners

Even a mask won't hide you from the latest face recognition tech

 

[Scott W.]

IBM is canceling its facial recognition programs

IBM is canceling its facial recognition programs and calling for an urgent public debate on whether the technology should be used in law enforcement.

edition.cnn.com

 

[GAcoaster]

I saw Amazon is discontinuing theirs for use by police departments for one year. Apparently it had issues with mi-identifying people of color.

 

[Viator]

After three years and waiting, we can dust this off! Facial Recognition Technology is officially coming to Universal Orlando Resort--with Epic Universe and Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure going to be getting facial recognition!

Work has already begun at UOR-North, with the Turnstile renovations at Universal Studios Florida.


To Deposit a question as a good one, with the NA parks now openly accepting and bringing in for atleast UOR on facial recognition; do people think that Frisco and USH will get similar treatment with the sake of their adjacent hotels in the future?

I'll throw my hat in the tin that outside of Facial Recognition--USH has been gearing up to be more and more comfortable with the sake of digital integration into the sake of the park itself. With the sake of Virtual Lines for Super Nintendo World and SNW (along with the pondering to why they had considered The Last of Us and The Exorcist: Believer to go that route), alongside Mobile Ordering and allowing digital payments via the App--it feels like a longer time coming for the sake of Hollywood doing more with the potential.

 

[tielo]

I'll throw my hat in the tin that outside of Facial Recognition--USH has been gearing up to be more and more comfortable with the sake of digital integration into the sake of the park itself. With the sake of Virtual Lines for Super Nintendo World and SNW (along with the pondering to why they had considered The Last of Us and The Exorcist: Believer to go that route), alongside Mobile Ordering and allowing digital payments via the App--it feels like a longer time coming for the sake of Hollywood doing more with the potential.

I guess Hollywood is on a smaller scale it will work as an early testbed for this tech.

 

[Jerroddragon]

So this will be op in or out, I'm assuming but are there any laws stopping Universal from using faces from this program or even random guests as extra in movies or for character designs?

 

[Brian G.]

So this will be op in or out, I'm assuming but are there any laws stopping Universal from using faces from this program or even random guests as extra in movies or for character designs?

The opt-in/opt-out choice will be not to go.

But yes - there are laws in place, and from what I understand - this doesn't take your picture as much as reads a biometric of your face.

 

[Tomfoolery]

The opt-in/opt-out choice will be not to go.

But yes - there are laws in place, and from what I understand - this doesn't take your picture as much as reads a biometric of your face.

Well a photo does get taken for manual verification by TMs in case of a mismatch or system error, But It is limited in nature and photos do get deleted