Connections: 9/11 was a big turning point in sacrificing privacy for national security. While there are differing opinions on whether this was the best decision or not, being completely off the grid identity-wise is a thing of the past.
Biometric systems, especially facial recognition scans, are being introduced at major U.S. airports–a response to a U.S. Congressional mandate “for recording the entry and exit of non-U.S. citizens at all air, sea, and land ports of entry.”
Facial-recognition systems have “improved significantly in recent years.” Governments and law enforcement agencies are now using them. Does use of facial recognition “violate [U.S.] Constitutional protections against unreasonable searches”? In addition, research with facial recognition has shown it to be “less accurate with older photos and with images of women, African Americans, and children.” Mistakes and deliberate abuse can happen.
Also, while Congress mandated the use of biometrics for non-U.S. citizens traveling into and out of the country, the faces of U.S. citizens are also being scanned at airports. Both Congress and, more recently, President Trump have never authorized “the collection of facial scans from U.S. citizens at the border routinely and without suspicion.”
What happens to this scan data after it is collected at the airports? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says it is deleted … but, we don’t know.
Facial recognition is being promoted by airlines like JetBlue and Delta as a way to “speed up the boarding process.” However, if you are a U.S. citizen, this may not be an option you want to choose.
Read the article (Mike Orcutt, MIT Technology Review, July 13, 2017).
