The pair of senators said they aim to prevent the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from “further exploiting the technology and storing traveler’s biodata.”
They added that most Americans are unaware they can opt out of the screening, The Hill’s Lauren Sforza reported.
“Every day, TSA scans thousands of Americans’ faces without their permission and without making it clear that travelers can opt out of the invasive screening,” Kennedy said in a statement.
“The Traveler Privacy Protection Act would protect every American from Big Brother’s intrusion by ending the facial recognition program,” Kennedy added.
The proposed legislation would ban the TSA from expanding its program and require the agency to receive congressional authorization to use the technology in the future. It would also require the TSA to dispose of the facial biometrics.
“The TSA program is a precursor to a full-blown national surveillance state. Nothing could be more damaging to our national values of privacy and freedom. No government should be trusted with this power,” Merkley said.
The TSA has tested its pilot facial recognition program at 16 airports across the country. The agency maintained that the program is voluntary, but critics have raised concerns about the use of the technology and the data it could collect.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
