Across the United States, airports are integrating facial recognition technology for identity verification prior to flight boarding. Americans have the privilege of choosing not to participate.
Facial recognition systems have been deployed in over 230 airports nationwide, as reported by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website, the agency responsible for securing U.S. borders.
Supporters argue that facial recognition streamlines the boarding process and reduces the need for paper boarding passes. However, the technology’s reliability is under scrutiny for its inconsistent performance, especially concerning accuracy across different ethnicities as highlighted by independent assessments.
Beyond technical issues, the collection of facial recognition data by airlines rather than CBP raises legal and privacy concerns.
Delta Airlines initiated face scan protocols for outgoing passengers in 2018, with JetBlue among other carriers swiftly adopting similar measures. This process aims to verify passengers’ identities against government watchlists by sharing facial scans with the authorities.
Depending on one’s citizenship status, the government may retain these images for a period ranging from a few hours to several decades. These images are stored in multiple databases, accessible to border agents as needed.
American citizens, however, have the option to forgo facial recognition procedures without difficulty.
Notices may inform passengers about opting out of facial recognition; however, such notices might be scarce or not prominently displayed.
Still, as per the CBP’s website, American citizens can choose an alternative process instead of submitting to facial photo capture, generally involving manual document checks by a border agent.
Opting out may require expressing your preference multiple times, from airport entry to boarding the aircraft.
Exemption from facial recognition during international departures is reserved for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, while anyone can opt out on domestic flights regardless of nationality.
Opting out involves informing an officer or airline staff during the scan, leading to a traditional check of your passport and boarding pass as was common before facial recognition was implemented.
Non-U.S. citizens or non-permanent residents, with a few exceptions, may not refuse facial recognition. However, American citizens and permanent residents maintain the right to opt out, despite possible ambiguity in airport signage.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation advocates for vigilance as the means to exercise the right to opt out of facial recognition, according to their statement.
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Originally published on May 13, 2019, and refreshed on July 29, 2024.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
Fanpage: TechArena.au
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