[sailfast]

They are piloting this at an airport near me. When I asked if I could opt out the employee said “no”. It was only later I was told that I could (upon returning home and looking it up)

FaceID as government ID is not a good idea, and it’s fine to start somewhere in my opinion though of course I would prefer outlawing biometrics entirely as identifiers.

[cmiles74]

Every article I've read about the TSA's program included the journalist either being denied an alternative to the facial recognition process or being pressured to do it. In an environment where being late for a plane could cost people their travel plans, coercion is pretty easy.

[Hnrobert42]

I fly a lot. I always opt out, usually in Atlanta but I think in other airports. There are signs up they say you can opt out.

This is both in the precheck security line and when boarding international flights.

It was an issue once with a Delta employee who didn’t know I could opt out. And once with border control in Ireland (where ICE has a presence). There, the ICE employee manually verified me but still insisted I get a photo taken.

Otherwise, it’s not been an issue to opt out so far. The staff might be a little annoyed, but it goes just as fast.

[deeebug]

As an opposite point - the airports I've been to have been pretty easy to opt-out, though they usually have snippy comments about "saying it up front".

That being said, did your airport not have signs talking about the pilot, and it being optional? I would of pointed to that if I was told no.

[sailfast]

It was very early in the pilot process, and I was trying to board an international flight. There was little or no signage, and the TSA staffer told me I could not opt out when I asked. Not a great experience. Since Senator Markey has been harping on this it has improved.

[landemva]

The full body scans are also voluntary. I opt out of all of that nonsense with three words "no thank you".