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“Checkpoint of the Future”: Are the US airports switching to facial recognition?

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Critics are concerned about the bias of the algorithm and what will happen to people’s personal data.

A passenger in America walks up to a security checkpoint at an airport, slides an ID card into the slot and looks through a camera on a small screen.

The screen flashes, “Photo Complete”, and the person can walk through without having to show their identification to the officer behind the screen.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is evaluating the use of facial-recognition technology at airports across the nation, has launched a pilot program.

“What we’re trying to do is help the officers determine that you’re who you say you are,” says Jason Lim of TSA Identity Management Capabilities Manager during a demonstration given to reporters last month at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

It comes at a moment when the use The technology behind the technology is The drive to improve security and streamline procedures has intensified.

TSA says that the pilot is voluntary, accurate and reliable. However, critics have raised questions about bias in facial recognition technology and possible repercussions on passengers who opt out.

What US airports use facial recognition technology and how does it operate?

The technology is currently available in 16 airports. It is also being used in airports such as Atlanta, Boston and Dallas, Denver. Los AngelesMiami, Orlando and Phoenix in Arizona, Salt Lake City and San Jose in Utah, and Gulfport, Biloxi and Jackson, Mississippi.

It’s not at all TSA checkpoints, so not everyone who travels through these airports will necessarily experience it.

The system works as follows: Travellers place their driver’s license into a slot which reads the card, or they can place their Passport photo against a card reader. Then, they look at the camera on a screen that is about the size an iPad. This captures their photo and compares it with their ID.

The technology checks to see if the IDs presented at the airport are real and if the people who present them are the same as the ones on the passport. The TSA officer who signed off the screening is still present.

A small sign informs travellers that they will be photographed as part of the pilot, and that they may opt out. The sign also contains a QR code that can be used to find out more information.

Why is facial recognition so controversial?

Since its launch, the pilot has been scrutinized by privacy advocates and elected officials. In a letter sent to TSA in February, five senators called on the agency to stop the programme. They said: “Increasing the government’s biometric surveillance of Americans represents a threat to civil liberties, privacy rights, and civil liberties.”

There are many different types of technology that you can use. Biometric information Face IDs, fingerprint matches or retina scans have become more common in the private sector as well as the federal government.

Privacy advocates have expressed concerns about how the data is collected, who can access it and what will happen if it’s hacked.

Meg Foster, a Justice Fellow at Georgetown University’s Centre on Privacy and Technology says that there are concerns regarding bias in the algorithms of facial recognition technologies.

Some people have difficulty recognising the faces of minorities. There’s also the worry that hackers from outside will find ways to hack government systems.

Does facial recognition technology store our faces?

Foster is concerned about the TSA pilot. While the agency claims it does not store biometric data collected, what happens if this changes in the future.

She says that while passengers are free to opt out of the program, it is unfair to put this on harried travelers who may be worried about missing a flight if they do.

Foster said that “they might be worried that if they refuse to have their face recognized, they will be viewed with suspicion.”

Jeramie Scott of the Electronic Privacy Information Center says that although it is voluntary now, it may not be for very long.

David Pekoske (the head of TSA) said in April during a speech that biometrics will be required eventually because they are more efficient and effective, but he did not give a timeline.

Scott says that he would prefer TSA to not use the technology. He would like to see a minimum of an external audit to verify the technology doesn’t disproportionately affect certain groups, and that images are deleted immediately.

According to authorities, why is facial recognition technology needed?

TSA says that the pilot’s goal is to improve the accuracy and speed of identity verification while not slowing down passengers. Checkpoints – A key issue for a company that serves 2.4 million passengers per day.

Early results show that the algorithm is able to identify passengers regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Lim says that the images are not being compiled into any database and that photos and IDs have been deleted.

In limited circumstances, data may be collected and shared by the Science and Technology Directorate of Homeland Security. TSA claims that data is deleted 24 months after collection.

Lim says that the camera will only turn on when someone inserts their ID card. This means it is not taking pictures of people at random. He says that passengers can also decide whether or not they want to use the camera.

He says that he has done research that shows that, while some algorithms perform worse for certain demographics, they also show that higher-quality algorithms like the one used by the agency are much more accurate. He says that using the best cameras available is also a factor.

“We take these concerns about privacy and civil rights very seriously because we touch so much of the population every day,” he said.

Keith Jeffries, retired TSA official, says Pandemic The rollout of “touchless” technologies, in which a passenger does not have to hand over a document to a representative, has been greatly accelerated.

He envisions a future “checkpoint” where passengers can use their face to check their bags, pass through security checkpoints, and board the plane without having to take out a boarding ticket or ID documents.

He acknowledges that many people are concerned about privacy and distrust when it comes to providing biometric data to federal government but says that in many ways, the use of biometrics has already become deeply embedded in society due to the use of privately-owned devices. The technology behind the newest.

He says, “Technology will be around for a long time.”

Author

  • Daniela Daecher

    Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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Intercités, Ouigo, TER: France announces discounted train fares throughout September

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Want to explore France by train this September? Look out for these cheap ticket sales.

Sad to see the end of summer? September is still a great time for a train adventure thanks to extended deals from French national rail operator SNCF.

Throughout the month, its ‘Les Jours Traincroyables’ campaign promises to “extend the summer” with a series of ticket offers on Intercités, Ouigo, TER and TGV INOUI trains.

Various flash sales are planned until 30 September offering discounted journeys on regional and longer distance high-speed services.

To secure cheap train travel in France and beyond, here are the dates to put in your calendar.

Flash sales on French trains this September

SNCF Voyageurs’ month of discounts kicks off with a Ouigo flash sale on 4-5 September. It will see 200,000 tickets on the operator’s classic and high-speed trains sold for a maximum of €19 each.

The high-speed train service offers low-cost travel throughout France and onward to destinations in Spain.

Stay on alert from 10-13 September, when 30,000 tickets between Normandy and Paris costing no more than €12 will be released in the Nomad Train Flash Sale.

Cheap tickets (between €3 and €13) will also be available in the eastern region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and to or from Paris, all month long.

Further west, under-26-year-olds can take advantage of €4 to €15 tickets for travel in Brittany, while down south in Nouvelle-Aquitaine under-28s can travel for just €2.

Heading to the northern Hauts-de-France region? Here, bargain €2 train tickets have no age limit – and 5,000 of them will be released each day throughout September.

To catch the end of the green season in the mountains, travel on Saturdays for a 40 per cent group discount on TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes trains.

Cheap train travel in Europe this September

The train ticket deals aren’t limited to French destinations. Between 18-29 September, you can discover Europe thanks to €39 tickets with TGV INOUI and TGV Lyria.

TGV INOUI operates high-speed trains to over 200 destinations in France and Europe, including in Germany, Italy and Spain, while TGV Lyria operates between France and Switzerland.

A further sale on TGV INOUI and Intercités trains from 23-27 September will offer tickets from €19 to €29, with an upgrade to first-class costing just €1 extra.

For cheaper train travel in Europe all year round, take advantage of the Carte Liberté, which offers fixed rate discounts to frequent travellers and is currently available at up to €80 off.

Author

  • Daniela Daecher

    Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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Flying on a plane is safer now than ever before, study finds

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A recent study has found that flights are safer than they’ve ever been.

There’s a one in 13.7 million chance that a passenger anywhere in the world will die onboard an aircraft, according to a new study.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US analysed global passenger and fatality data between 2018 and 2022 and found deaths on planes dropped by an average of 7 per cent year over year.

Those results follow a pattern of “continuous improvement” that started in 1968 when the death rate fell an average of 7.5 per cent per year even as more flights took off and landed.

It comes as US aircraft manufacturer Boeing faces a series of technical issues that forced the company to ground the test flights of their 777-9 model. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) also reportedly has launched inspections into the 787 Dreamliner due to faulty pilot seat movements.

Death rate 36 per cent higher in some countries

The incident rate depends on what countries people are flying to and from, with researchers dividing countries into three tiers for low, medium and high risk based on air safety record.

The lowest risk is the Tier 1 group which includes the European Union, Australia, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Montenegro, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Some examples of countries in the Tier 2 group include Bahrain, Bosnia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

The rest of the world’s countries are in Tier 3 or the high-risk group.

For the first two tiers, the death risk falls to one per 80 million passenger boardings, the study found. These countries account for more than half of the world’s 8 billion people.

“At that rate, a passenger could on average choose one flight at random every day for 220,000 years before succumbing to a fatal accident,” the report continued.

The fatality risk is around 36 per cent higher for tier 3 countries, the study found, but fatalities are still falling.

“While [these nations] continue to get better over time, their passenger death risk remains many times as high as the risk elsewhere,” the study says.

The study also didn’t include any accidents that were direct attacks on passengers, like a suicide bombing at Kabul airport in 2021 that killed 170 Afghans and 13 US military troops.

Over 4,000 deaths from catching COVID on a plane

The study accounts for the COVID-19 pandemic which they defined as the period from March 2020 to December 2022. While there were fewer airline passengers during the pandemic, those who travelled faced a “new source of danger” if exposed to the virus on a flight.

Airlines at the time told passengers that COVID-19 transmission was “all but impossible,” the researchers say in their study, even though the US surgeon general estimated that 96 per cent of flights during that time had at least one positive passenger.

Despite that new risk, researchers say that there “is no evidence that those who did fly suffered a greater risk of death from plane crashes or attacks than would have been expected had the pandemic never occurred”.

“Outside of on-board transmission of COVID-19, passenger safety did improve sharply,” the study said.

In total, the paper estimates that roughly 4,760 people died from contracting a COVID-19 infection on a flight from March 2020 to December 2022.

The MIT researchers do admit that it’s hard to know the exact number of deaths since passengers who got an infection after a flight could’ve passed it on to others who might have passed away.

“These estimates about COVID-19 deaths are necessarily imprecise,” the study says. “And while they use lower-end parameter estimates, they could well be too high”.

Their data also doesn’t count any passengers under 18 and doesn’t differentiate the age of any passengers over 65, which the researchers say is important because mortality goes sharply up for the elderly.

Author

  • Daniela Daecher

    Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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‘Paradise ruined’: Why Spanish locals fed up with overtourism are blocking zebra crossings 

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In northwestern Spain, villagers blocked zebra crossings to protest too many tourists – but ended up causing a huge traffic jam.

Spain has seen many overtourism protests this year, but one small village has been making its grievances known in a very unusual way.

In the Galician village of O Hío in northwest Spain, locals took it upon themselves to protest against the volume of tourists by blocking zebra crossings.

Walking up and down them for a total of 37 minutes, they caused total traffic gridlock – worsening the exact problem they hoped to highlight.

Nevertheless, residents stand by their decision.

Why are Spanish locals blocking zebra crossings?

“Traffic problems are already common, but this year they have tripled at least,” resident Mercedes Villar told local newspaper La Voz de Galicia. “It’s an avalanche of cars that not only pollutes but also affects everyone’s lives because they park wherever they want. We have the right to live too.”

Locals from the small coastal village say, while they’re not against tourism per se, they want authorities to find a mutually beneficial solution so that residents and visitors can co-exist happily.

They say their driveways are being blocked, traffic accidents are increasingly common and that parking-controlling yellow lines are being ignored.

“The protest was meant to raise awareness and sound the alarm,” another villager told La Voz. “We want people to be civil and understanding and, if they see that there is no parking space, to leave, as we all have to do in any city.”

Rogue parking by tourists creates ‘danger’ for locals

Villar, who is the spokesperson for the residents’ association, added that while locals tend to park their cars properly, visitors who don’t are creating “a situation of insecurity and danger”.

Villagers raised concerns that the situation causes access problems for emergency vehicles, citing residents who needed to be collected by ambulance, but found the exits from their houses blocked or their transport delayed due to the sheer number of vehicles on the streets.

Speaking to La Voz, Villar added that the significant amount of traffic had led to “uncivil” behaviour, including visitors littering the roads and parking areas.

She also says that too much traffic has led to the deterioration of some roads. “We want orderly and polite tourism that respects the environment. This is a paradise, but paradises also get ruined,” she said.

Locals have been invited to discuss their complaints

Like many Spanish people protesting against overtourism, Villar believes that the growing popularity of her local area has a lot to do with social media’s impact.

“This is sold as a beautiful place with no people, but now that is not true,” she explained, adding that residents tend to avoid beaches during tourist season as they are simply too busy.

She hopes that the zebra crossing protests will have laid bare how “annoyed” locals are with the situation.

It seems to have worked – in response, the local council has invited disgruntled locals to a meeting to discuss their complaints later in September.

From Cantabria in the north to Málaga in the south, growing numbers of Spanish people are calling for the government to change the face of mass tourism, which they believe is getting out of hand.

They say its impact is having a negative effect on property prices and rents as well as standard of living for residents.

Author

  • Daniela Daecher

    Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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