The Transportation Security Administration is now testing facial recognition software at 16 different airports.
They say the technology streamlines the check-in process and enhances security. But critics say it’s a security risk.
Five liberal senators including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren voiced concerns back in February to TSA administrator David Pekoske. They say the technology is an enticing target for hackers and that it’s “a risk to civil liberties and private rights.”
The department says it has taken those concerns seriously, saying the process is optional. Most images are deleted as soon as the scan is complete. But they acknowledge some are forwarded to the Department of Homeland Security for testing purposes.
And just last month, the TSA administrator said they was moving towards making the scans a requirement.