(NewsNation) — Travelers at dozens of airports can expect to have their faces scanned with the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) facial recognition technology.
A bipartisan group of senators is sounding the alarm over the technology this morning, calling it “out of control.”
AAA predicts an uptick in travelers this holiday season, putting security technology and TSA manpower to the test at busy airports. Facial recognition technology will be used in a few dozen airports, and the TSA0 plans to expand it to more than 430 airports.
Not everyone feels comfortable with its test run before a full review.
Senators Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and John Kennedy, R-La., along with bipartisan support, sent over a letter last week to the TSA inspector general, asking the office to look into the facial recognition technology. They feel it poses risks to passengers’ civil liberties.
“This technology will soon be in use at hundreds of major and mid-size airports without an independent evaluation of the technology’s precision or audit of whether there are sufficient safeguards in place to protect passenger privacy,” the letter stated.
The TSA declined to comment on any discussions with the inspector general but said it will cooperate fully with any possible audit that may happen.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske says biometrics such as facial recognition will eventually be required across the board for its efficiency and efficacy.
For now, the TSA and its administrator stress facial recognition is optional and in no way mandatory. They told NewsNation the technology is the most secure form of identity verification and that they do not retain any personal data from passengers.
If you want to opt out of a face scan at an airport, all you have to do is tell the TSA you decline facial recognition. You can proceed normally through security by presenting an identification document, such as a driver’s license or passport.