SpainThis article reports on the use of Spanish-developed facial recognition technology in Uruguay’s football stadiums, highlighting both its deployment and controversies. The system, developed by Herta Security and based in Barcelona, has been used since 2017 in major stadiums like the Estadio Centenario, where it was credited with helping secure the 2021 Copa Libertadores final. However, despite these claims, incidents such as a police officer being severely injured by a firework in 2025 revealed limitations of the system, as the perpetrator was not on the watchlist. The technology is now set to be used again in 2030 for the World Cup opening match at the same stadium, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. While the system is praised for its efficiency, concerns remain over privacy and effectiveness, particularly after Spain’s data protection agency fined La Liga for collecting biometric data from spectators.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the use of facial recognition technology in a critical light, emphasizing privacy concerns and the limitations of the system, particularly after incidents where it failed to prevent violence. It highlights the legal repercussions faced by La Liga due to data collection practices,ซ
