Good business or digital bias? The divisive rise of ‘proptech’

Surveillance cameras are pictured on a security fence in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada. While landlords and industry experts say proptech makes real estate more efficient and lucrative, some housing rights activists worry that it mainly benefits landlords and perpetuates patterns of discrimination. — Reuters

NEW YORK: When Fabian Rogers first heard that his landlord wanted to install facial recognition cameras at the entrance of his New York City building, the recent university graduate was suspicious.

His flat was affordable because it was rent-stabilised by law, he said, but back in 2018 landlords could raise rents when tenants vacated – a legislation loophole that was closed last year after tenants' groups said it incentivised evictions.