US lawmakers want to reign in the TSA’s use of facial recognition
Images: Julia Nikhinson/AP
A bipartisan group of senators is pushing for restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by the Transportation Security Administration, citing concerns that travelers’ privacy, civil liberties, and pride may be at risk (okay we may have added the last one but does anyone actually have a good driver ID photo?).
Background: The TSA has been rolling out facial recognition tech at major airports – including those in Atlanta, DC, Detroit, LA, and Miami – as part of a pilot project that began one year ago. The process involves passengers walking up to an airport security checkpoint, slipping an ID card into a slot, and looking into a camera on top of a small screen.
Once the passenger’s face-scan is successfully compared to their ID and a government database of past images (e.g., previous driver’s licenses or passport photos), they can walk through to the body-scan section. The new program reportedly cuts the average verification time from around half-a-minute to 7-10 seconds.
- This technology is currently in use at 84 airports around the country, with the TSA planning to expand it in the coming years to all of its 430 locations.
- Passengers can currently opt out, though TSA Administrator David Pekoske has said facial recognition will eventually be required across the board because it’s more effective and efficient.
The program also has its fair share of critics. In a letter published yesterday, a group of 14 Republican and Democratic senators raised concerns about how the TSA’s biometric data is collected, who has access to it, and what happens if it gets hacked. Lawmakers also noted the technology’s potential for misuse by the government, and expressed concern that its reported 3% error rate is too high.
👀 Looking ahead… The lawmakers are calling on Senate leaders to limit the TSA’s use of facial recognition tech in the upcoming FAA reauthorization bill, which faces a must-pass deadline of May 10.
📊 Flash poll: Do you support the TSA’s increased use of facial recognition technology for verifying passengers’ identities?
See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that federal agencies like the TSA can mitigate Americans’ fears over facial recognition by engaging the public and finding ways to deploy the technology that the public would be likely to support.
- Others contend that the TSA should be more open about the fact that its facial recognition system is optional, since even privacy-conscious Americans seem unaware that opting out is a choice available to them.
- “The government is using AI. Here’s how it can mitigate public fear” –Douglas Yeung and Benjamin Boudreaux, San Francisco Chronicle
- “I Opted Out of Facial Recognition at the Airport—It Wasn't Easy” –Allie Funk, Wired Magazine
- “You can say no to a TSA face scan. But even a senator had trouble.” –Shira Ovide, WaPo
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that the TSA shouldn’t be trusted not to use facial recognition data for surveillance or any law enforcement purposes, when it already got in trouble during the Bush years for misappropriating airline passenger data and lying to Congress about it.
- Others contend that the TSA’s use of facial recognition and other biometrics represents a much-needed upgrade to security at America’s airports, and that security or privacy concerns are overblown since the agency says it doesn’t store facial photos.
- “TSA facial recognition tech is latest security theater absurdity” –NY Post Editorial Board
- “The TSA is ramping up its use of biometrics for flyers. Here’s why that’s important.” –Sheldon H. Jacobson, Chicago Tribune
- “Big Brother at the airport” –Patrick Eddington, Washington Examiner
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