The scene is relatively new, but increasingly common: you arrive from an international flight and along with your passport identification, you are asked to look at a camera that scans your face and stores biometric information. The problem is not only what they do with this data, but how long they keep it. And how secure it is. The problem? Most of us don’t know that we can say no to this..
It turns out that refusing is feasible, depending on the case obviously. If you travel to the United States, for example, you can refuse if you have a U.S. passport, if you are under 12 or over 79 years old, if you are a flight attendant, a government official, or if you have certain types of visas according to a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) document.
In fact, almost a month ago, on June 23, the body recorded almost 3 million people tested at the country’s airports. While in the EU, 46 million international tourists arrived in Europe in March, i.e. from outside the EU. Those who made internal flights are not counted.even if they have passports from other non-member countries.
In the United States, more than 230 airports are currently testing facial recognition technology. The TSA’s goal is to implement the technology in more than 430 airports. Meanwhile, in Europe, 11 countries are already using this technology. In fact, some members of the European Parliament conducted a study in which they warn that “there seems to be a little understanding of the ways in which this technology could be applied and the potential impact of such a wide range of applications on the fundamental rights of European citizens.”
This should come as no surprise considering there are known risks with this technology, from the possibility of your facial data being stolen to the possibility of it being hacked. misidentify as a criminal suspect And these are not hypothetical scenarios: these errors have happened before. And then, of course, there is AI bias: facial recognition technology is known to disproportionately misidentify people of color.
Added to this is the fact that the information is stored for a long time. For example, in the United States, according to documents from the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP), “the facial images of non-citizen travelers They are preserved for 75 years in support of immigration, border management, and law enforcement activities.” That is, most likely for your entire life. And longer. Added to this is the fact that CBP states that it “may share information with federal, state, and local authorities, who may be authorized to use the information for purposes beyond the scope of CBP’s mission.” What is this mission? Obviously, it is not specified. As for Spain, According to AENA, The information is stored for a maximum of one year. They also ensure that biometric data is not shared with anyone other than the airline and the authorities.
“More and more airport operators and airlines around the world are testing facial recognition systems that allow passengers to pass through checkpoints more easily,” concludes Anu Talus, Director of the European Data Protection Centre (EDPC). “It is important to be aware that biometric data is particularly sensitive and that its processing can pose significant risks. Facial recognition technology can lead to false negatives, bias and discrimination. Misuse of biometric data can also have serious consequencessuch as identity fraud or identity theft. We therefore urge airlines and airport operators to opt for less intrusive methods where possible. The EDPB believes that individuals should have maximum control over their own biometric data.”