In a new twist of sci-fi reality, facial recognition software is being implemented in airports across the country.
In Detroit, a newly installed, hi-tech departure board at DTW Airport shows a different set of information to each viewer based on their iris scan, even those standing shoulder to shoulder. The technology relies on retinal scans to identify individual passengers, and a proprietary technology by Misapplied Sciences enables pixels to show different colors to different users based on that information.
In Dallas, American Airlines has announced that customers with TSA pre-check can now use a phone app and facial recognition software to bypass lengthy lines. The process works by the facial recognition software scanning passengers’ faces against identification documents they have provided. Being limited to the manifesto increases the accuracy of the process as systems are not trying to select from the public at large.
These moves have been met with concerns from privacy advocates who say that the technology is an overreach by the government and that given its relative newness, should not be used by law enforcement to overreach when it comes to apprehending people. WIth new concerns about freedom of movement in regards to abortion access with states enacting bans, reproductive health advocates have added their voices to the chorus of detractors. Travelers are able to opt out of facial recognition at the airport but many are unaware where and when it’s happening and even fewer how.
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