A bipartisan group of 14 senators is calling on leaders to restrict the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) use of facial recognition technology to protect privacy and civil liberties.
The group, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), urged Senate leadership in a letter Thursday. requested the Department to take advantage of the upcoming Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization. (FAA) TSA restricts use of technology, Associated Press report.
“Because this technology poses serious threats to our privacy and civil liberties, Congress should prohibit TSA from developing and deploying facial recognition tools until there is strict Congressional oversight,” the letter said. It is written.
Before passing through a metal detector, travelers insert their ID into an electronic reader, stand still, and have their photo taken. The device then analyzes the photo to make sure it matches your driver’s license or passport, and a TSA officer signs the check.
The controversial technology is currently used at 84 of the 430 TSA-enabled airports nationwide, and the government plans to expand further.
According to the TSA, the senators’ initiative “will halt the deployment of facial recognition technology at security checkpoints, which has been proven to improve security effectiveness, efficiency, and the passenger experience. ”.
“Reauthorizing the FAA is one of the last bills this Congress must pass,” the newspaper reported.
technology critic They say it’s not clear enough to passengers that it’s an option. They also raise concerns about data collection and who has access to it.
“It is clear that we are at a critical crossroads,” the senators wrote. “The government’s use of facial recognition for Americans would expand dramatically under the TSA’s plan, with little public debate or Congressional oversight.”
TSA Administrator David Pekoske previously said the agency plans to require biometrics to improve efficiency, but did not say when, the Associated Press reported.
