- PatronScan, an ID-checking system, is used in LGBTQ+ bars in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, raising privacy concerns over facial recognition and data sharing among venues.
- California's ID privacy law (amended 2018) prohibits businesses from retaining or using scanned ID information except for verifying age, complying with legal requirements, or preventing fraud.
- PatronScan collects and retains customer data like names, photos, and entry times for 21 days (flagged customers up to 5 years), and shares information across participating bars.
- In 2018, California lawmakers closed a loophole to extend ID privacy restrictions to scanned IDs, and PatronScan opposed this change but the law still passed, raising compliance questions.
- Privacy advocates warn that ID-scan databases pose risks of data theft, government seizure, and misuse, especially for vulnerable groups like immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities.
- Venue owners are urged to revert to standard visual ID checks to protect customer privacy and safety, rather than using PatronScan's database system.