TSA’s Facial Recognition Tech Expands To Domestic Airports, Nationwide Test Next

If you haven’t traveled lately, you might not know the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun testing its facial recognition identification system at 16 domestic airports across the United States. If all goes well, the pilot program could be expanded nationwide as soon as next year. 

According to the Washington Post, the technology makes use of “live photos” to cross-reference how you look to the image on your driver’s license in order to confirm your identity. It first made an appearance at DC’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport during the pandemic. 

At the moment, as per Insider, the system is being trialed as an opt-in choice at some of the country’s major airports, including the Los Angeles International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Dallas Forth Worth Airport. 

However, as with most facial recognition technology, the implementation of such an identification method isn’t without controversy. Albert Fox Cahn, the founder of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP), told the Post it was “coercive” to seek consent at an airport. 

Cahn alleged that biometric programs often start out as optional in the introductory phases, but will become standardized over time and “eventually compulsory,” with fears that the technology could harm minority travelers that have “historically faced more facial recognition errors.” 

His concerns certainly have a basis, considering a study by the National Institute of Science and Technology has found that African American and Asian individuals are up to 100 times more likely to be misidentified by facial recognition systems. 

However, the counter-argument by the TSA is the system’s efficiency and accuracy, with the organization confirming that the program was better at identifying passengers than the manual process conducted by humans. 

It appears it is not worried about misidentification, with a spokesperson saying that the agency is working “to ensure the technology is performing according to the highest scientific standards.” 

If everything with the pilot program works out, the TSA could deploy the facial recognition system at airport checkpoints just before 2024. For now, passenger participation remains voluntary as the technology’s performance continues to be evaluated. 

[via Insider and The Washington Post, cover image via Vacclav | Dreamstime.com]