All visitors to the Australian Open have agreed to be monitored by facial recognition technology, under a new privacy clause in this year’s conditions of entry.
By entering the tournament site, patrons acknowledge that security cameras which “may incorporate facial recognition technology” will be used in order to “enhance security and patron safety”.
Opt-in software is run through tablets at express entrances to Melbourne Park.Credit: Chris Hopkins
This clause did not appear on the entry terms of last year’s tournament. Tennis Australia was contacted for comment.
It’s not the only new facial technology introduced to the tournament precinct this year, with a different opt-in software also introduced to facilitate “express entry” at all gates.
US-based company Wicket is providing the technology, but says it is up to Tennis Australia to protect the privacy of fans.
The program lets visitors skip the long queues at Melbourne Park by uploading a selfie and linking it to their Ticketmaster account. They can then scan their faces instead of a physical ticket.
Wicket’s chief operating officer Jeff Boehm said the pictures were converted into a “a mathematical representation” by identifying certain “data points” on the face of each participant.
“The facial matching happens locally on site. At the iPad level … if somebody were to steal that iPad, there’s no actual pictures there,” he said.
“The biggest thing is removing friction and just making that process easier. Helping patrons get into a venue faster … because they’re not there to stand in line.”
The facial data collected by Wicket is stored in a secure cloud owned by the event organiser, in this case Tennis Australia. It was up to Tennis Australia how long this data was stored for, Boehm said.
This masthead has asked Tennis Australia how they are storing this data.
In late 2024, the Privacy Commissioner found that retail giant Bunnings had breached privacy laws by using facial recognition technology on its customers because it did not gain their consent.
At the time, commissioner Carly Kind described facial recognition technology, and the surveillance it enables, as “one of the most ethically challenging new technologies”.
The Bunnings case is not directly comparable because Australian Open patrons have agreed to be monitored, either by signing up for Wicket’s services or by entering Melbourne Park.
Many fans have signed up to Wicket at the Australian Open, most likely after being confronted by large queues at the entry points.Credit: Getty Images
But Nick Ingelbrecht, physical security analyst at business consulting firm Gartner, said it was always the responsibility of venue owners to comply with privacy laws.
“We entrust our data with them on the basis that they won’t use it for other purposes. The face is another piece of personal data … that you provide in exchange for a service,” he said.
Ingelbrecht compared the collection of facial data with any other secure personal information – such as a credit card number – which people could choose to share with service providers.
“And that’s a decision you have to make on an individual basis … event hosts must ensure attendees are aware [that facial recognition is optional],” he said.
Wicket’s “express entry” technology was first used nationally at last year’s Open, with an opt-in system for corporate guests.
Boehm said the technology had since been tested by an AFL club during the 2024 season, and that other teams had expressed interest in the software.
There have been teething issues at this tournament, with a number of the devices out of order on Monday afternoon. At the Garden Square entrance, staff members said the iPads used to run the software were broken.
Tennis Australia had not provided a response as to what caused these problems by the time of publication. But a spokesperson said an assessment would be made at the end of the tournament about the continuation of the express entrance queue.
Ingelbrecht described the increased use of facial recognition by venues and events as inevitable. Because of this, he said legislation needed to be consistently updated to reflect the latest innovations.
“The technology is evolving. People’s attitudes are changing. People’s attitudes to facial verification are changing. It’s becoming increasingly a feature of everyday life,” he said.
“It’s something [where] the regulation needs to catch up or keep pace with the technology development … it’s where that gap opens up where there may be problem.”
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