TSA’s Use of Facial Recognition Under Scrutiny
A group of senators wants Congress to put more restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by the Transportation Security Administration TSA.
In a letter on Thursday, 14 bipartisan lawmakers called on Senate leaders to use the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration as an opportunity to limit and place some oversight to TSA’s use of the technology.
“We write to urge you to restrict the use of facial recognition technology by the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports across the United States
in the upcoming Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization,” the letter says. “This
technology poses significant threats to our privacy and civil liberties, and Congress
should prohibit TSA’s development and deployment of facial recognition tools
until rigorous congressional oversight occurs.”
The senators say that “while TSA states the program is optional, it is the stated intent of the TSA to expand this technology beyond the security checkpoint and require that passengers undergo facial recognition scans every time they travel.”
The effort, led by Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., John Kennedy, R-La., and Roger Marshall, R-Kan., “would halt facial recognition technology at security checkpoints, which has proven to improve security effectiveness, efficiency, and the passenger experience,” TSA said in a statement.
You can read the full letter here.
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