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This is more frightening than the implications of the article and all the comments I've seen here so far.

To be clear, what you're describing is a system for triggering asynchronous, automated "background checks" (no doubt based on a secret methodology) against Americans, the results of which will then be applied at biometric checkpoints and used to justify taking individuals into custody for "further screening".

Do you understand the implications of a government using such a system against its citizens? Do you really think the TSA will effectively prevent other actors from using their database? Even if they do, do you think this model and precedent won't be exploited by other actors? FFS, they're already talking about ripping off the photos we have to have taken for our regular state-issued IDs.

> automated "background checks" (no doubt based on a secret methodology) against Americans, the results of which will then be applied at biometric checkpoints and used to justify taking individuals into custody for "further screening"

This is exactly the current system, but the current system puts a human instead of the biometric system. See all the business of "SSSS" stamps on boarding passes.

> You get to airport security with your cary-on. You walk up to a kiosk to scan your face. When you booked your flight, they essentially did a background check on you, and if it was clean you just walk through to the terminal, with minimally-invasive scanning that doesn't require any stopping or removing anything from your bag.

That's a pretty attractive sales proposition there; it's really hard for me as an individual to argue against the reduced hassle (and essentially a return to pre-2001 boarding patterns) in return for them having access to data they can realistically already get.

Japan takes pictures and fingerprints from people as they arrive; this doesn't seem too much different, just the direction.

I wonder if this could also be expanded to people without boarding passes. I know a lot of people mourn the loss of the ability to go directly to the gate to meet or see off family.

They take pictures and fingerprints of foreigners when you arrive in the USA as well. I hope no families at the gates will be allowed. People are already clueless about how to properly cue and board a plane. As a frequent flyer it is beyond irritating. Families or friends at the gate would just make things even worse. Plus, letting them in without a boarding pass is just a way to add insecurity variables to the airport experience for no reason but the movie-like romantic idea of airport goodbyes.

Direct experience from when they were able to come to the gates overrides any speculation about what they "would" do. It's simply not a problem.

Surely they all need to come through the security screening, though? So suddenly the (already far too long) lines are 2-4x longer. Just say your goodbyes before security, it's really not as issue.

It’s a weird custom that I’ve seen only in American movies and that was ever probably true only for American airports. It’s not an issue indeed and I think Americans are as usual a bit myopic in pretending that a cultural experience is globally recognized. Feel free to downvote this (true) generalization.

Yes, the US also collects fingerprints from people arriving and have for at least a decade.

(Just informational without a huge rant about people having friends and family)

> You walk up to a kiosk to scan your face. When you booked your flight, they essentially did a background check on you, and if it was clean you just walk through to the terminal

This may be really cynical, but... I bet we'll get news like "our tests were based on our employees and we're surprised the system fails for black people / asians / ..." fairly soon after first implementation. So many large companies fail on this, I don't have high expectations for TSA.

Or worse, "Our database was compromised".

>I understand and agree with the fear of it being a slippery slope.

It's not a question, we're sliding down the slope.

What I understand is that background checks of every traveler is absolutely necessary for safe flights. Is this what you say?

I'm with you. Someone could cause a huge amount of death, damage and destruction by blowing up a bus or subway train, and yet these have zero security and work just fine. How come everyone gets hysterical when it comes to flying?

I generally agree with you, but the justification is basically the 9/11 effect:

If a bomb goes off in a subway train or bus, the people in that vehicle die. If an airplane crashes into a building, significantly more people could die.