Facial recognition in stadiums, security or surveillance mecanism? Etchnographic notes on the importanceof the fan perspective in the debate
In this article, we reflect on the recent implementation of facial recognition at the turnstiles at football stadiums in Brazil, which, following the General Sports Law (2023), will become a mandatory measure from 2025 onwards in stadiums with a capacity of more than 20,000 people. In addition to di...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Online |
| Language: | Portuguese |
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Universidade Estadual de Campinas
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://econtents.sbu.unicamp.br/inpec/index.php/tematicas/article/view/20025 |
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| Summary: | In this article, we reflect on the recent implementation of facial recognition at the turnstiles at football stadiums in Brazil, which, following the General Sports Law (2023), will become a mandatory measure from 2025 onwards in stadiums with a capacity of more than 20,000 people. In addition to discussing technologies and security, we seek to address some specific issues from the fan perspective and thus highlight what the multiple actors in this context have to say, such as organized fans, ordinary fans, fan collectives and anti-fascist fans. Based on ethnographic incursions into games in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, both in stadiums and arenas that already have the technology (Allianz Parque, São Januário, Nilton Santos and Maracanã), and in others that have not yet implemented it (Morumbis and Neo Química Arena), we discuss the experiences and expectations of fans regarding the imposition of this new change. With this, we aim to challenge the positive impact of the new measure, sold by the government and propagated by the media as a definitive security measure, with the perspective of fans who, despite experiencing the consequences of this process firsthand, have been constantly excluded from this debate. After all, would facial recognition in stadiums really be just a new and interesting security technology, or just another surveillance mechanism, especially for the most popular and black classes that we still have in the new soccer arenas in Brazil? |
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| ISSN: | 2595-315X |
