Report calls for halt to TSA’s ‘facial recognition experiment’

While industry stakeholders push to make biometrics the preferred option for global travel, digital rights groups are asking whether travelers are sleepwalking into an acceptance of facial recognition as the default. The Algorithmic Justice League (AJL) has published the findings from its report entitled, Comply to Fly?

A release from the group says that, while the TSA initially described its facial recognition program as a pilot, it has been expanding – “to over 250 domestic airports as of the date of issuance of this report with plans to expand to 430 airports in the coming years.” Accusing the TSA of scope creep, the AJL says its report “fills a critical gap in public knowledge about travelers’ lived experience of encountering airport face scans.”

The report is filled with numbers and testimonials organized to make the case that facial recognition needs to be put on pause at TSA checkpoints. A key takeaway is that many people surveyed for the report across 91 U.S. airports felt that TSA officers had presented facial recognition to them as mandatory, when it is in fact voluntary. As such, the AJL flags concerns around transparency and consent, as well as “the treatment of travelers by TSA officers.”

“In the survey conducted by AJL of hundreds of travelers, 99 percent indicated that they were not told verbally by TSA officers of the opportunity to opt out. Nearly three out of four respondents indicated that they did not receive a notice about the use of face scans.” Signage is an issue, as is data handling.

The human element also sours the experience, with travelers reporting “verbal abuse, hostile body language, increased scrutiny and other injuries to dignity and respect when attempting to opt out.” Most often, agents “shamed or ridiculed travelers verbally.”

Not mincing its recommendations, the AJL seeks “a halt of the TSA’s use of facial recognition to allow for public deliberation and to address the concerns raised by the traveling public, civil society organizations, bipartisan elected officials, and even the U.S. government’s own Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB).”

The AJL prioritizes freedom and privacy, informed public decision making and doing something about all the ornery TSA officers. “Given the feedback received from hundreds of travelers across 91 airports in the U.S., AJL calls for immediate and actionable steps to be undertaken by TSA to ensure respect and dignity for all travelers,” it says.

This should include, by December 2025, a “dedicated biometrics complaint procedure” for travelers to submit new and retroactive complaints “specifically related to the TSA use of FRTs and any other experimental biometric pilot,” as well as specific procedures to respond.

Traveler Privacy Protection Act hits Senate committee

There are U.S. lawmakers who agree with the AJL’s position. The Traveler Privacy Protection Act, S. 1691, is a bipartisan bill that aims to restrict the TSA’s use of facial recognition at checkpoints and reset the default to traditional identity verification unless travelers opt in to FRT. It warns of the dangers of creating nationwide biometric tracking infrastructure and the potential for misuse by government or private entities.

The legislation has garnered support from rights groups EPIC, ACLU, Fight for the Future and the Project on Government Oversight.

Airlines, of course, pushed back, saying the bill, if passed, would “undermine TSA’s security modernization efforts.” So did the Security Industry Association and the International Biometrics + Identity Association, who answered criticisms of the program point-by-point in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Committee.

The SIA and IBIA write that the TSA uses face biometrics to automate a task it is already legally responsible for, that the technology does not constitute or enable government surveillance, that it has “an extensive governance policy” and allows any traveler to “easily opt-out.” With these considerations in mind, the groups argue, the Committee should set aside consideration of the Act in favor of working with stakeholders to address any issues.

The bill was due for markup today by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, but was removed from the Committee’s schedule at the last minute, with Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) saying it was not ready to be considered, according to PunchBowl.

Convenience is king: UK passengers favor speed over caution with data

While travelers surveyed for the AJL report may have felt bullied into providing biometrics, many others care less about data protection than they do a better airport experience.

So says the Getronics 2025 Travel Trust Barometer, which indicates that 53 percent of British passengers place a smooth journey as their top priority for air travel, while only 36 percent say that safeguarding personal data is their main concern.

“British air passengers prioritize getting to their destination quickly over the security of their personal data,” the report says.

Yet privacy concerns persist, distrust lingers, and communication is sorely lacking.

“Biometric acceptance is high (66 percent for phone use, 76 percent for facial recognition), yet almost 12 million people in the UK – almost as many as the combined population of London and Manchester – would be uncomfortable with increasing use of facial recognition,” the report says.

Just over half of passengers (55 percent) feel in control of their personal data when booking travel. As such, “there’s a clear challenge for airports to reassure passengers when it comes to their personal information.”

Fragile trust must be bolstered with clearer communications

They might start by securing their own perimeter. According to Rob Nidschelm, Global Head of Operational Security at Getronics, “airports are no longer just physical infrastructure, they are now complex digital ecosystems. As travel becomes increasingly paperless and biometric-based, driven by convenience and a demand for improved customer experience, the cybersecurity attack surface is expanding at a rapid pace.”

Threat intelligence “continues to highlight a persistent rise in targeted attacks on aviation, particularly on passenger data systems, biometric platforms, and third-party integrations critical to airport operations.”

“Trust is fragile – while airports enjoy relatively high levels of trust by default, there’s a clear opportunity to strengthen it through transparency, choice, and digital literacy.” Data privacy, in particular, has “high stakes but low engagement.”

“There’s an urgent need for clearer, more accessible communication around data use.”

Surly TSA agents, take note.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  Algorithmic Justice League  |  biometrics  |  data privacy  |  facial recognition  |  identity verification  |  legislation  |  Traveler Verification Service  |  TSA