Do you trust the federal government?
If your answer is anything less than “yes, 100%,” then the following story will scare the pants off you.
The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) wants to get facial recognition scanning systems in place in every major American airport by next year. They already have them in 16 airports where they’ve been testing it out.
It may sound like no big deal at first, but here’s why this is a giant leap into a dystopian, anti-American future.
The TSA Wants To Scan Your Face
Facial ID tech is currently used in 16 airports by the TSA. When going through screening you may be asked to have your photo taken by a facial recognition camera by a passport reading machine.
You have the right to decline this procedure under US law, although many people may not be aware of that right.
Certain airports like San Francisco don’t allow this tech to be used due to prohibitions on privacy violations in their municipality. But for many others, people are already being scanned without even realizing they have the right to say no.
This is an escalation of the biometric tech that’s been put in place since 9/11. Facial recognition to check identity and do COVID contact tracing was put in at Reagan International in DC in 2020.
You simply put your passport into a machine and it scans your face to ensure that you are the individual in the passport photo.
An agent then compares your photo verification process and facial ID to confirm your entrance through security.
As I said, you do have the right to decline this process, although it’s clear that many people will feel pressured to just go along with it.
TSA now wants to scan your face at security. Here are your rights. https://t.co/E7dA1L5Ce3
— Mr. Lance (@LanceB65) December 3, 2022
Questions Need To Be Answered
A number of questions need to be answered about programs like this.
First of all, how often does it get it wrong? Especially for individuals who’ve had an accident, disfiguration, plastic surgery or other procedure it may well make mistakes. The TSA hasn’t been transparent about the success rate.
Secondly, just how secure is this technology? Your facial ID information could be hacked as it was in 2019 in a hack of the Department of Homeland Security.
Thirdly, if you say no to this procedure, will you be treated with respect and within the law or put into a slow line and given more trouble? Because if so that’s a direct violation of the law.
Fourthly, tech like this has vast potential to become used for more sinister purposes such as China where faces are scanned to detect mood, intentions and provide a psychological security portrait of a passenger.
Do you want to be barred from going through security because you have anxiety in airports or are going through depression at the time of travel?
TSA now wants to scan your face at security. Here are your rights.https://t.co/IlOXYt2194
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 2, 2022
The Bottom Line
The Founding Fathers would vomit to see the police state that their country has turned into. Programs like this are vastly unconstitutional and need to be reigned in as much as possible.
