nmenaker

I don�t recall giving any info to GE, not fingerprints.. I think they now have a face scan capability, but my understanding of that is that it is tied to your PASSPORT photo, and not something else.

To @Kaycee APPLE just as one example should not �have� your biometric data at all, not fingerprint (from touchID) nor face (from FaceID)� all these data are stored LOCALLY on the device that you might be using in the local Secure Enclave and are NOT sent up to iCloud or shared. That local secure storage is only accessible with the full six digit passcode or a facial or finger scan, and even then not extractable. Other companies MAY be different, but I wouldn�t concern myself with using Apple device security and sharing it.

I remember several years ago when traveling to Tanzania, and they fingerprinted ALL TEN DIGITS of anyone under the age of 60 when entering the country. I was APPALLED since A) well the obvious and B) I could tell that the computers they were using the capture everything were still using WINDOWS 7, and this was 2017.

notquiteaff

They most definitely took a photo and fingerprints during my most recent renewal interview, some time in 2020 or 2021 (during the pandemic). I recall vividly that they had big problems getting usable fingerprints from me. And then, the next time I walked through GE, the kiosks had changed to just doing facial recognition.

Maybe they now don’t actually capture the fingerprints anymore.

It’s been a long time since I took the regular (non-GE) path through US immigrations, but I thought CBP captures fingerprints and photos of non-US-resident arrivals. They probably don’t use Windows 7 machines, but that alone would really not worry me too much. BTW, Win7 support ended in 2020, so your 2017 experience was with a supported OS

nmenaker

this was ENTERING Tanzania…not entering USA

and, “supported” doesn’t in any way mean ‘secure’ and even then, it’s only as good as the local machine update policy is maintained

notquiteaff

Of course it was entering Tanzania, I can actually read. But you made it sound like Tanzania was doing something outrageously dangerous and unusual by capturing your fingerprints (as a foreigner, I assume) on a Windows 7 computer, three years before it was end-of-lifed. The US, too, captures biometrics at the border and I would be shocked if the US had phased out all Win7 machines in 2017.

fumje

My US office just this year phased out its last Win7 machine (as far as I can tell). And that's only because it stopped working. 🤣

lsquare

$79/hour?

tarheelnj

Just received this email:

As a reminder, your membership is up for renewal. Unless your MileagePlus� Status changes before that time, your Clear membership will continue to be complimentary as a part of your MileagePlus Status.

We have recently updated our pricing for United MileagePlus members.

If you are a:

• Premier� Silver, Gold or Platinum MileagePlus member, the price for your primary account will increase from $109 to $149.
• United U.S. Credit Cardmember, the price for your primary account will increase from $109 to $149.
• MileagePlus member, the price for your primary account will increase from $119 to $179.
• Premier 1K�, the price for your primary account will remain at $0.

If your MileagePlus status changes before your renewal, you will be charged based on your status as of your renewal date.

To manage your membership, add a family member, change settings or cancel you can log into your account at my.clearme.com.

We look forward to seeing you in the CLEAR Lanes soon!

Best,

The CLEAR Team

bocastephen

I don't consider it laughable - the federal government having my face identified and their restrictions and governed usage of that data is far different than a for-profit company that could find 1,000 ways to misuse, sell or mishandle my biometric data. I worry about both social media data collected - which is why my social profiles are filled with false nonsense - as well as a company like this holding my biometric data. I wouldn't trust Clear as far as I could spit out their name, even if they paid me for the membership.

frappant

I notice now for boarding at SFO they do face recognition.

But I don’t recall having my face scanned before, only for CLEAR and maybe Global Entry?

Or the one time I arrived at SIN, 7 years go.

nexus7556

This is only for international flights. I believe they're just matching against passport photo.

bocastephen

You can opt out, and unless you have Global Entry, should. Also, relevant as it�s rolling out at many United hubs, you can refuse and opt out of the TSA demand to scan your face and use their biometric identity system. Some screeners will refuse to opt you out or lie that you can�t - just escalate to a supervisor if this happens.

nmenaker

I had it happen for a domestic flight last week, at CLEAR it pops up as “Ambassador” something or other, the CLEAR rep will shrug and then direct passenger to the TSA which does a photo, ID compare, etc.. it’s a PIA and has happened to me three times now. I’m not sure why it sill occurs and don’t like that I have to take all masks off for the photo of course. Sort of defeats the purpose.

I believe it’s an overall TSA systems and process update that is meant to compare the photo, to the ID for greater integrity, essentially taking the TSA agent out of the confirmation step. I started seeing this first in ATL with Delta, but now in SFO with UAL

emcampbe

thats what I was told, when we boarded SFO-SIN last week. I said something along the lines of, �I�m not sure how they have our photos�, and she said it�s tied to passport by way of passport number you�ve used at check in.

If this is the case, wonder what happens, as has to be the case in a lot of cases, for non-US passport holders? Maybe I�ll try and use my Canadian passport next time and find out. Or where the authority to use/match the photo data comes from. Seems like they should need a specific authorization to be able to use your photo, no?

lincolnjkc

In the case of non-US passport holders I expect that they capture your photo (along with other relevant information) while they're processing your landing (in the immigration sense) to the US -- though since this has nothing to do with CLEAR this probably isn't the best thread for that discussion.

Ari

Correct: TVS PIA

That wont work. CBP now works on a person-centric platform. You will be identified as a US Citizen and your US Passport info will be substituted by CBP in their records, notwithstanding what you put in APIS: ADIS PIA

Furthermore, as a US Citizen, you can opt out of the photo process and ask for manual checking. It will be harder to opt out as a Canadian Citizen.

Sort of. The TVS PIA part about Delta partnering with CBP (PDF p. 47) shows just how stupid and shortsighted UA was to partner with and buy a stake in Clear. The fact that TSA is now checking the ID of every traveler that uses Clear, and Clear lines are just as long, if not frequently longer than TSA PRE lines, again, shows just how stupid and shortsighted UA was to partner with and buy a stake in Clear.

The TVS PIA (see PDF p. 40) also shows just how stupid and shortsighted UA was to partner with Smart Path for check-in and checked bags. You will aslo notice that the "program is not currently available for use at security screening checkpoints," and I doubt it will ever be. Delta's pilot program is. You can use Clear-- United's other partner for a touchless experience at the checkpoint-- oh, wait, you cant. Also, I tried UA's Smart Path system at ORD twice to check a bag, and it sucks.

So that leaves Delta as the leader in airline biometrics, because they chose to partner with the experts, CBP. They did it on a consent, opt-in basis. Furthermore, a careful read of the TVS PIA leads one to the inescapable conclusion that the program could be expanded beyond the Trusted Traveler population to anyone who holds a travel document that CBP has the biometric photo on file for. That would include everyone with a US Passport or a Green Card.

Again, Delta leads the way. And United will probably dig its heels in because of these unwise, shortsighted and just downright stupid corporate partnerships it entered into. Sometimes the government is there to help; they already have the data anyway.