Disneyland loosens up on controversial tech change to theme park entry

Disneyland is dialing back a controversial tech feature that has been subtly shaping the way guests enter the park.

Now, guests who would rather not hand over a “faceprint” to stroll down Main Street U.S.A. have a choice.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have rolled out special entry lanes that skip facial recognition and biometric tech entirely, according to the Orange County Register.

The update lets visitors who feel uneasy about sharing their biometric data or fret over cyber risks enter the parks without joining the system, which was originally meant to speed up entry and stop fraud.

Both parks now offer clearly marked lanes for those who “do not wish to participate” in the service.

Disneyland staff may still snap photos of guests in these lanes, but the images skip any biometric processing. Kids can also use the opt-out lanes, as long as a parent or guardian gives the green light.

Under the standard system, Disneyland photographs daily visitors and annual passholders at the entrance and converts those images into unique numerical values using biometric technology. Those values are then used to match a guest’s face to the photo tied to their ticket or pass.

Disney says it deletes those biometric numerical values within 30 days, unless they need to be retained for legal or fraud-prevention reasons, and maintains that it has safeguards in place to protect visitor data.

“The security, integrity, and confidentiality of your information are extremely important to us,” the company states, while acknowledging that “no security measures are perfect or impenetrable.”

The shift comes as concerns grow about surveillance and tracking in public spaces, giving Disneyland guests a way to skip the tech altogether if they choose.

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