TSA working with Apple, others to develop digital IDs for airplane passengers

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reports that it’s continuing collaboration with Big Tech concerning the use of biometric surveillance technology and the development of digital IDs for airplane passengers.

On its site, the TSA revealed that its officials traveled to California recently where they met with representatives of Apple and Google to talk about continuing work on implementing digital ID on people’s phones.

The TSA delegation to Silicon Valley, led by Administrator David Pekoske, referred to Apple and Google as their “innovation partners.” The team visited those two tech companies, Lawrence Livermore National Labs, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), In-Q-Tel (IQT) and met with Stanford University Professor Dr. Hayagreeva “Huggy” Rao, an expert in innovation and organizational behavior. Pekoske also engaged with TSA employees at California’s Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland International Airport (OAK), and San José Mineta International Airport (SJU).

The TSA is working with the tech giants so passengers can identify themselves with IDs stored on their phones at airports,” said the agency post. The TSA met with Apple executives to address states adopting the use of state-issued digital IDs and their acceptance at the security checkpoint during the identity verification process. TSA says it’s working with the tech giants so passengers can identify themselves with IDs stored on their phones at airports.