30 civil rights groups are asking the Seattle Port Commission to rescind its sanction of face recognition technology at Seattle-Tacoma Airport. The Port Commission, which oversees the Northwest’s largest international airport, had voted unanimously to collaborate with Customs and Border Patrol in the issuance of a 5.7 million dollar request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement and implementation of face surveillance at the airport.
Port Commissioners had stated they felt they “had no choice” but to go along with CPB’s plans, but as the letter from the 20 civil liberties groups states:
The Seattle Port Commission has a choice not to collaborate with CBP and should not facilitate CBP’s unauthorized surveillance of U.S. citizens.
Read the letter below.
final_-_open_letter_to_port_of_seattle_commission_4-8-20