Senators ask, Homeland Security watchdog answers: Is it worth the money?
The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has launched an audit of the Transportation Security Administration’s use of facial recognition technology at US airports, following criticism from lawmakers and privacy advocates.
The TSA has been utilizing facial recognition technology to screen passengers at US airports for several years, with a pilot program in 2023 testing a system made by Idemia in 25 airports. The TSA announced plans to expand this technology to as many as 430 airports in the next decade, which has drawn criticism from privacy advocates and elected officials.
Merkley and Senator John Kennedy (R-LA, also a signatory on the November letter) introduced the Traveler Privacy Protection Act in November 2023 in response to the TSA pilot program. The bill aimed to ban the planned expansion, require Congressional approval for future trials, and mandate that the TSA cease using facial recognition technology within 90 days, disposing of any collected biometric data. However, it did not advance out of committee.
https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/03/tsa_facial_recognition_audit/