A Facial Recognition Panopticon on Border and Migration Controls: Can Privacy and Data Protection Survive?

As technology permeates various aspects of individual and societal life, automated surveillance systems, particularly those employing facial recognition technology (FRT), have become a reality. This is particularly evident in border and migration controls, where such systems are increasingly utilized to address migration challenges and enhance security at European Union (EU) borders. The EU legal framework, including provisions in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU), plays a pivotal role in safeguarding personal data. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as a critical data protection law in the EU, holds significance in this regard.This article delves into the role of automated surveillance systems and FRT, exploring specific use cases at airport border controls. However, its primary focus is to identify and assess essential privacy and data protection concerns arising from the increasing deployment of FRT.