Airports to use facial recognition to scan departing passengers

The US Department of Homeland Security expects to use facial recognition technology to scan 97 per cent of departing passengers at airports in the next four years.

The method involves photographing passengers before they board the flight and cross-referencing it against a library of images from visa and passport applications, and those taken by border agents, The Verge reports.

The technology is used to keep track of those who have overstayed their visas. However, it is being criticised for hampering citizen privacy.

The system was already operational at 15 US airports as of the end of 2018.