This week, TSA announced a pilot program using new biometric technology to replace boarding passes and IDs with quick fingerprint scans. This is such a relief for travellers.
This new technology is currently being tested in Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the Denver International Airport for people enrolled in TSA Precheck. If all goes well, these scans will automate and speed up the check-in process.
JetBlue also announced that it will will begin accepting selfies instead of the traditional ticket.
The airline company has partnered with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and SITA to test a self-boarding process, JetBlue said in a statement. Passengers can opt to have their photos taken, and, with the use of biometrics and facial recognition technology, the photo will be matched to a passport, visa or immigration photo from the CBP database.
JetBlue’s program will begin this month on flights going to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport from Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Many advocacy civil rights groups are up in arms saying this is another way for technology to violate our private rights as citizens.
Here’s what the ACLU says:
As the pool of people going through the “regular” security line decreases, it will become easier for the authorities to begin to impose more draconian security measures on those unfortunates who can’t get into the “club” of government-certified Safe Citizens. That will be true both as a political matter, and because reduced volume will allow more intrusive yet time-consuming measures to be applied. And by manipulating the system and the lines, the TSA can push more and more people to seek refuge from poor treatment within a government background check program that demands an ever-increasing amount of information about our lives.
What do you think?