S.T.O.P. Welcomes TSA Facial Recognition Bill, Calls For Full Ban

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For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Welcomes TSA Facial Recognition Bill, Calls For Full Ban (New York, NY 11/30/23) – Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, welcomes a bill introduced by Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to end involuntary facial recognition screenings at airports, but also urged Congress to go further and outlaw all facial recognition at airports. The bi-partisan legislation, called the Travelers’ Privacy Protection Act (TPPA), would require the TSA to receive congressional authorization to use the technology in the future, and make clear to passengers that they can opt out of the facial recognition screening. It would also prevent the TSA from storing passengers’ facial biometrics. SEE: The Hill - Senators introduce bipartisan legislation ending involuntary facial recognition screening https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4333664-senators-legislation-facial-recognition-screening/ “This legislation is a strong step, but Congress must ban all TSA facial recognition,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “No where feels more coercive to ask people about facial recognition than an airport, where we worry that any wrong answer might mean delays, extra searches, and missed flights. And we simply shouldn’t be asking Americans to opt into racism. This biased technology will mean more travelers of color will be wrongly stopped.”  The proposal comes after a controversial pilot program launched earlier this year, which rolled out facial recognition-powered identity verification systems in 16 airports across the country. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the system’s collection of passengers’ biometric data, as well as about the system’s accuracy. Facial recognition technology is notably less accurate for people of color, causing concern for civil rights advocates that these surveillance systems will lead TSA to place more suspicion on travelers of color. SEE: Washington Post - TSA now wants to scan your face at security. Here are your rights. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/02/tsa-security-face-recognition/ The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. --END-- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved.