Dec 5, 2019 - Technology

Department of Homeland Security drops controversial facial recognition plan

Kaveh Waddell

Photo of a woman in front of a screen with a checkmark and the words "Proceed to gate." — A facial recognition system at Dulles Airport. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty

The Department of Homeland Security has backtracked on a plan to require every person, including U.S. citizens and green-card holders, to submit to a facial recognition screening before entering or leaving the country.

Why it matters: Facial recognition has emerged as a privacy flashpoint. As some cities pass bans on the technology, the federal government has pushed forward — but this reversal shows the limits of public appetite for its use.

What's happening: Foreign nationals are already photographed at the border to verify their identity. U.S. citizens and permanent residents have been able to opt out of the process — but DHS recently proposed making the screening mandatory for all.

Customs and Border Patrol confirmed to TechCrunch Thursday that U.S. citizens will still be allowed to "voluntarily participate in the biometrics entry–exit program."

What they're saying: After the plan to expand facial recogntion was revealed earlier this week in a TechCrunch report, privacy advocates in government and civil society raised an alarm.

Sen. Ed Markey (D–Mass.) said in a statement following the reversal: "This is a victory for every single American traveler who flies on a plane, and a reminder that we must remain vigilant protectors of our right to privacy."

What's next: Sens. Chris Coons (D–Del.) and Mike Lee (R–Utah) put forward a bill last month that would require that law enforcement to get a warrant before using facial recognition technology.

Go deeper: China's move on facial recognition standards

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Department of Homeland Security drops controversial facial recognition plan

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