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Opposition mounts against possible mandatory facial scans for all US travelers
Homeland Security now wants to expand facial recognition verification for all air travelers.
The DHS is mullinng a proposal to mandate that all travelers, including all US citizens, be photographed upon entry at all airports or departing on overseas flights.
Although just a proposal, there has already been a wave of criticism.
It violates an individual’s right to privacy and the government has failed in the past to keep the stored data secure, a lawmaker says.
"The Department of Homeland Security should immediately withdraw plans to force Americans to undergo facial recognition and hand over their biometric information," said Dem. Senator Edward J. Markey.
"This proposal would amount to disturbing government coercion, and as the recent data breach at Customs and Border Protection shows it cannot be trusted to keep our information safe and secure."
A number of groups including the American Civil Liberties Union have been very vocal about the dangers of ‘invasive biometric scans’ but the Trump Administration argues it will catch people fraudulently using US travel documents, criminals and terrorists.
"To be clear CBP is only comparing the picture taken against photos previously provided by travelers to the US government for the purpose of international travel," said John Wagner of US Customs and Border Protection.
"This is not a surveillance program."
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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