Innovative digital technologies are at the core of every successful business that’s leading its industry into the future. Advances in AI, facial authentication, machine learning, and cybersecurity all offer the opportunity to deliver more friendly, personalized, and intuitive services to customers in any marketplace. Without a doubt, the second half of the decade will be defined by the ability of companies to forge critical technology partnerships that reduce costs while igniting unparalleled customer experiences.
Because of the extraordinary competitive advantages these tools offer, industry leaders, human rights organizations, and the general public have made them a subject of more than a little ethical scrutiny. Because of the increasing capabilities these tools offer, and the complex nature of their use cases, the companies behind them are often put under the microscope of ethical scrutiny. This is a healthy dynamic as it keeps bad actors in check and pushes data privacy and security to the forefront.
Among these innovative technologies, facial recognition and authentication are among the most promising, and they’re fundamentally reshaping the landscape of guest experiences at live entertainment. Their extraordinary capacity for reducing wait times, maximizing revenue, and wowing guests has made them some of the fastest-growing tech partnerships in business today.
As a result, facial authentication and facial recognition ethics are a chief concern for companies looking for partners who can deliver sustainable value. By knowing what key qualities they should expect from providers in this evolving space, businesses can confidently pursue the relationships they need to harness these powerful technologies.
Understanding Facial Recognition Ethics
Because facial recognition technology revolves around leveraging sensitive biometric data, how these systems safeguard that information is an ever-present concern—particularly in the sports and entertainment industries that are seeing growing adoption and use.
Guests come to events expecting to be blown out of the water with video, audio, and technological virtuosity they can’t immerse themselves in anywhere else. They deserve to know that the information they provide to enjoy these cutting-edge experiences is being treated ethically and responsibly by the organizations they’re entrusting it with.
Facial recognition allows fans to use their payment and personal data to create profiles that facilitate their entry and purchases, making that information a potential target of cybercriminals. The top facial recognition firms understand that data security is the most important priority when guests are putting their trust in those who hold that data. Any facial recognition partner’s design methodology should reflect that value from the top down.
An additional concern is the possibility of biases creeping into biometric facial data systems. Ethical firms invest in making sure that every population has an equitable experience with their services.
However, not every company in the facial recognition industry shares the same priorities and goals. Depending on the application, some may even specialize in keeping undesirable or unwanted people out while others focus on getting fans in as fast as possible. Examine any facial recognition partner you’re considering very closely to ensure their core values align with your business goals.
Ethical Qualities in Facial Authentication Partners
In the sports industry, facial authentication solutions are about giving fans a faster and more streamlined experience that enhances their time at the game. And while prioritizing ethics in technology initiatives often comes at a cost, this is not the case with facial recognition for sports applications.
Developers who prioritize ethical data, consumer, and sustainability practices deliver products that are value-added, more enjoyable for users, and allow their partners to incorporate their products more effectively in long-range business strategies.
Here are some of the top ethical qualities you should expect in a facial authentication partner.
1. Intuitive Experiences, Deep Reliability
A truly great piece of consumer technology needs to engender trust and confidence with its security architecture—but also must be simple to use. Facial authentication software developers should be looking to create an experience that is fast and delightful for guests while understanding that state-of-the-art reliability and data security are the foundation of that confidence.
A great partner will deliver both quick and memorable interactions with their technology, and reliability rates near 100% with a near-zero error rate.
2. Sustainable Solutions
Facial authentication is undoubtedly part of the future of sports and entertainment events, and that means developers need to be thinking about how to design systems that will justify initial investments by delivering long-term results. A potential partner in the space should prioritize compatibility and ease of use along with reliable hardware that is multi-functional and can stand the test of time.
Also, because facial authentication solutions often represent long-term investments, developers should be constantly evolving and customizing their products to ensure they keep producing competitive results.
3. Flexibility and Adaptability
Tech is expensive, and an ethical technology partner should be supporting its counterparts by helping them maximize every aspect of their investment. Facial authentication software is promising precisely because it can be used to address a wide range of venue challenges, including ticketing, concessions, age verification for alcohol sales, and access and credentialing for staff and support personnel.
The top facial authentication solutions can be easily adapted to meet a variety of logistical issues using identical hardware and software throughout a venue.
4. A People-First Approach
Facial authentication is supposed to enhance a guest’s experience, not become an obstacle to their participation. If it’s frustrating or intimidating for people to use, it will have limited value for a venue operator.
Users should be able to sign up easily and securely to make participation in facial ticketing, payment, and credentialing a simple and enjoyable activity. Additionally, those users should also be able to easily opt out whenever they like and be in control of their data at all times.
Partnering for the Future with Wicket
Facial authentication and facial recognition ethics will continue to be a crucial topic for prospective partners looking to get ahead of the game in tech spaces—and a foundational marker of a firm’s value proposition. Wicket is leading the way in facial authentication technology partnerships, delivering sustainable and reliable solutions along with a sensational guest and employee experience.
We have partnered with some of the biggest brands in sports and entertainment, including teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS. Our innovative facial authentication platform is transforming industries by making live events friendly, fast, and secure one smiling fan at a time. Wicket’s intuitive platform can go from green light to game time in less than 30 days, facilitates 4x faster entry times, boasts 99.7% accuracy with a 0% reported false positive rate, and creates cost savings and new revenue opportunities with innovative Express lane offerings.
Contact us today to find out why Wicket is the undisputed leader of facial authentication solutions in the sports and entertainment industries.
