A Wired investigation claims Madison Square Garden maintains a surveillance database tracking the sexual orientation and 'risk' levels of thousands of high-profile guests.
Madison Square Garden is under fire following reports of a 39,000-name 'VIP database' managed by its security team. The dossier allegedly categorizes guests by risk level—flagging artists like Freddie Gibbs as 'high risk'—and identifies dozens of entries specifically by their sexual orientation.
Digital rights activists have raised alarms over the implications of such tracking, particularly given MSG's history with invasive facial recognition technology. Records indicate that at least 93 individuals, including Phoebe Bridgers and Ricky Martin, were explicitly tagged as LGBTQIA in the system.
MSG has flatly denied the claims, calling the reporting inaccurate and threatening legal action. However, the leak highlights a growing friction between corporate venue surveillance and the privacy of the artists and public figures who use these spaces.