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TSA Implementing Facial Verification on 84 Airports in the US

TSA Implementing Facial Verification on 84 Airports in the US

Author: admin | 23 May 2025

The TSA’s use of facial recognition technology is generating privacy concerns. Many travelers and privacy advocates are worried about their personal information being stolen and losing the option to use manual ID checks.

Airports across the United States are seeing more use of facial recognition technology because of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The system is used at 84 airports right now and is expected to expand to over 400 airports across the country. It uses CAT-2 technology, which matches a traveler’s face with their ID to check their identity, detect fake documents, and strengthen security.

Gerardo Spero, the TSA’s Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania and Delaware, explained the benefits of this system in a press release, “This technology enhances detection capabilities for identifying fraudulent IDs such as driver’s licenses and passports at a checkpoint, and it increases efficiency by automatically verifying a passenger’s identification. We just want to ensure that you are who you say you are.”

Voluntary Use, Data Deletion, and Ongoing Privacy Concerns

Participation in facial recognition is completely voluntary. Travelers who don’t want to use it can ask for a manual ID check instead. CAT-2 also supports digital IDs like mobile driver’s licenses, giving travelers more flexibility.

After screening, TSA says facial images are deleted. For individuals registered in TSA PreCheck Touchless Identity, the information is deleted within 24 hours following the planned flight.

Despite these protections, privacy advocates remain apprehensive about the storage of biometric data, the potential for inaccuracies, and the absence of clarity regarding the databases. 

Passengers might also observe that screening protocols differ from one airport or terminal to another. TSA officials say facial recognition is only used to verify a traveler’s identity and not for surveillance.