Panasonic has announced that it has deployed its security cameras running FacePRO facial recognition software at the stadium of the Danish Superliga runners-up, Brøndby IF. According to the tech firm, the new installations will bring numerous benefits all while attempting to maintain individuals’ privacy. FacePRO is also recognised by the National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST) for having the highest performance in independent testing.
According to Panasonic, the new cameras will have several benefits for fans; first of all, those who are blacklisted from games will be more likely to be stopped before entering games, according to the firm, the system will even recognise the faces in photographs that are up to 10 years old. The second benefit will be the decrease in congestion at the gates as the AI should flag up anyone suspicious, making entrance faster for everybody else.
As for the privacy aspect, the system doesn’t store the images or data of those that are not registered on the blacklist. For those unfortunate enough to be on the blacklist, the data is only stored on the football club’s internal server which is not connected to the internet; therefore, data should be more secure.
Discussing the news, Gerard Figols, manager of the European security business at Panasonic, said:
“Panasonic's facial recognition system contributes to a safer stadium environment by alleviating security pressure on the ground, while ensuring that all data is protected from unauthorized external access. In turn, we can offer peace of mind to fans and Brondby IF that our technology will improve the standard of safety even during high profile matches, something that fans have already complimented the system for.”
It’s not clear how many football clubs use facial recognition around the world but if it does prove useful in detecting hooligans, then there’s a good chance it’ll spread to other stadiums. Brøndby IF is not the first club in the world to deploy the technology as there are reports that several stadiums in Uruguay now monitor fans this way.
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