TSA pilots facial recognition tech in airports amid privacy concerns
While the technology is designed to authenticate the identification and match it with the respective traveler, TSA employees will remain in the security lines equipped with the system to ensure accurate results.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a federal agency, is currently testing facial recognition technology at several airports across the United States. The technology, intended to expedite the process of identifying passengers, has raised some concerns over privacy rights and data protection.
In the near future, passengers may find themselves in security screening lines where they are asked to insert their ID into a slot and gaze into a camera. The system then captures their photograph and displays a "photo complete" message, allowing the traveler to proceed with the security checks without physically handing over their identification to an employee.
The Associated Press reports that this technology is currently operational in 16 airports throughout the nation, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. Passengers have the option to opt out of this pilot program conducted by the TSA, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security.
While the technology is designed to authenticate the identification and match it with the respective traveler, TSA employees will remain in the security lines equipped with this system to ensure accurate results.
However, the pilot program has been launched amidst concerns from some members of the Senate, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR). In a letter sent in February, they expressed apprehension over the potential nationwide implementation of this system within the year, if deemed successful. The senators argued that facial recognition technology posed a risk to civil liberties and privacy rights.
The letter further voiced concerns about the safety and security of Americans' biometric data, stating, "As government agencies grow their database of identifying images, increasingly large databases will prove more and more enticing targets for hackers and cybercriminals."
Despite these privacy and security concerns, multiple federal agencies have already adopted facial recognition technology. A Government Accountability Office report published last year found that 18 out of 24 agencies reported using facial recognition systems in fiscal year 2020, primarily for computer access and law enforcement activities.
A Pew Research Center survey found that Americans generally support the widespread use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement, with 46% of respondents considering it a "good idea," while 27% deemed it a "bad idea."
Some state and local governments have already enacted bans on biometric recognition technology. For instance, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Google and Meta last year for violating state laws prohibiting the use of data such as iris scans, fingerprints, voiceprints, or records of hand and face geometry for commercial purposes without consent.
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