If you have been looking for something to creep you out today, keep on reading. This story will have you shook.
A woman recently took to social media to contact JetBlue Airways. She wanted to ask about their new face recognition boarding technique because, naturally, she had some questions about it.
Mackenzie Fegan was shocked when heading to board the plane, all that was needed was for her to look into a camera. They did not need to scan her boarding pass or look at her passport. Given the usually strict security at airports, it was pretty weird!
I just boarded an international @JetBlue flight. Instead of scanning my boarding pass or handing over my passport, I looked into a camera before being allowed down the jet bridge. Did facial recognition replace boarding passes, unbeknownst to me? Did I consent to this?
— MacKenzie Fegan (@mackenzief) April 17, 2019
MacKenzie tweeted JetBlue, asking if facial recognition is officially replacing boarding passes. She also wondered, more disturbingly, if this was done without her consent. Because after all, she did not send a photo of herself to anyone in preparation.
The airline responded right away, saying, “You’re able to opt out of this procedure, MacKenzie. Sorry if this made you feel uncomfortable.”
You're able to opt out of this procedure, MacKenzie. Sorry if this made you feel uncomfortable.
— JetBlue Airways (@JetBlue) April 17, 2019
To which MacKenzie responded:
Follow up question. Presumably these facial recognition scanners are matching my image to something in order to verify my identity. How does @JetBlue know what I look like?
Follow up question. Presumably these facial recognition scanners are matching my image to something in order to verify my identity. How does @JetBlue know what I look like?
— MacKenzie Fegan (@mackenzief) April 17, 2019
…And then this is where it gets even creepier. Not only did MacKenzie take part in this procedure without giving consent, but JetBlue, a private company, got her photo without her consent. “The information is provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security from existing holdings,” JetBlue responded back on Twitter.
So to be clear, the government provided my biometric data to a privately held company? Did I consent to this? How long is my data held by @JetBlue? And even if I opt out at the scanners…you already have my information, correct?
So to be clear, the government provided my biometric data to a privately held company? Did I consent to this? How long is my data held by @JetBlue? And even if I opt out at the scanners…you already have my information, correct?
— MacKenzie Fegan (@mackenzief) April 17, 2019
“We should clarify, these photos aren’t provided to us, but are securely transmitted to the Customs and Border Protection database,” JetBlue said. “JetBlue does not have direct access to the photos and doesn’t store them.”
We should clarify, these photos aren't provided to us, but are securely transmitted to the Customs and Border Protection database. JetBlue does not have direct access to the photos and doesn’t store them.
— JetBlue Airways (@JetBlue) April 17, 2019
Naturally, MacKenzie still had questions. Even more questions than she did before if anything.
She continued, trying to clarify and make sense of this mind-boggling matter:
Would love more info about how my image was matched to a name on the flight manifest. I looked at the camera & a few seconds later the gate opened. Was my image, in the space of those seconds, sent to CBP, run through a database, matched to a name, and then sent back to @JetBlue?
However, JetBlue then gave here a link and told her that she can find more information there, although it all seems to be pretty vague and does not answer any of her questions.
This is not a great look for JetBlue. The Twitter thread quickly went viral, worrying travelers all over the country. Many are now concerned that their private, personal information is being given to private companies and everyone agrees that these companies should not be able to get it so easily.
We are hoping that JetBlue and all other private companies decided to go back to their old ways of doing things for the sake of our comfort and privacy!
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