Facial identification technology has emerged as a tool to detain and prohibit sex workers from entering certain countries, signaling the advent of an increasingly invasive surveillance state propelled by artificial intelligence.
This technology has been wielded by border control authorities to target individuals within the sex work industry, using facial recognition algorithms to identify and track them across borders. Such measures have resulted in detentions, bans, and severe limitations on the mobility of sex workers, exemplifying the profound impact of AI-driven surveillance on personal freedoms.
The use of facial ID in this context highlights broader concerns regarding privacy invasion, civil liberties, and the disproportionate targeting of marginalized communities. It underscores the rapid evolution of surveillance techniques, facilitated by AI, which not only undermines individual rights but also perpetuates systemic discrimination against certain groups.
Moreover, the utilization of facial recognition to enforce travel bans reveals a concerning precedent for the expansion of state-controlled monitoring and control mechanisms. The far-reaching implications of this technology extend beyond the confines of border security, posing fundamental questions about the ethical boundaries of AI deployment and the erosion of personal autonomy in an increasingly monitored society.
As such, the intersection of facial ID technology and its implications for the restriction of movement for sex workers serves as a stark warning about the encroachment of pervasive surveillance facilitated by AI, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive discussions on the ethical and societal impacts of such advancements.
Sydney, a Canadian sex worker, exercised caution by leaving her cellphones behind when crossing the U.S. border due to previous accounts of colleagues facing phone seizures by border patrol. Despite Canada's legalization of escorting under the Nordic Model, aimed at decriminalizing the sale of sex, practical implications included continued police surveillance and violence against sex workers. Opting for privacy, Sydney chose not to show her face in advertisements, impacting her client base.
In 2014, Sydney and her wife's routine trip to Massachusetts hit a snag when self-service kiosks, newly installed by Massport at Boston Logan Airport, flagged Sydney upon scanning her passport, signaling an impending issue. Despite leaving her phones behind, border officers detained her and requested access to her wife's phone. Separated and subjected to interrogation in a chilling room, Sydney found herself in a distressing situation.
This incident echoed a similar occurrence involving Sydney's friend Naomi in 2013 at Toronto Pearson Airport. Naomi, also in the sex work industry but operating with a face-out approach, received a 10-year travel ban after border agents found connections between her and fellow sex workers, including Sydney, through flight records and their joint advertisements.
Border agents connected the dots between Naomi and Sydney, despite Sydney concealing her face, leading to a five-year travel ban for Sydney. This ban deterred her from attempting any further international travel.
Sydney’s experience underscores the ongoing challenges faced by sex workers despite legislative changes. The border patrol's scrutiny and tactics to identify and restrict their movement serve as a stark reminder of the persistent surveillance and hurdles encountered by individuals in the sex work industry, impacting their freedom of travel and privacy.