VOA慢速英语2018 美国首个人脸识别终端在亚特兰大机场启动

First US Face Recognition Terminal Opens at Atlanta Airport

A United States airport has become the first in the nation to permit passengers to use facial recognition technology to get on flights.

美国一个机场成为全美首个允许乘客使用人脸识别技术登机的机场。

The system launched last week at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the state of Georgia.

上周，这一系统在佐治亚州哈兹菲尔德-杰克逊国际机场启动。

The technology can be used by international passengers traveling through a special terminal. Atlanta’s Hartsfield–Jackson Airport usually ranks as the world’s busiest airport based on the number of passengers.

国际旅客经由一个特殊终端系统通行时可以使用这项技术。由于客流量庞大，亚特兰大哈兹菲尔德-杰克逊机场经常排在世界最繁忙机场首位。

The terminal is operated by Delta¹ Airlines. But it also serves passengers flying on international carriers Aeromexico, Air France, KLM and Virgin² Atlantic Airways³.

这个终端系统由达美航空公司运行。不过该系统也为乘坐墨西哥航空公司、法国航空公司、荷兰皇家航空公司和英国维珍大西洋航空公司的国际旅客提供服务。

Delta said in a statement it is the first fully⁴ biometric airport terminal to operate in the U.S. The goal of the system is to simplify and speed up the process of presenting documents to get on a flight. The company says passengers can begin using the facial recognition system when they first arrive at the airport.

达美航空在声明中表示，这是美国首个全面启用生物识别技术的航站楼。该系统的目标是简化并加快出示文件的过程，快速完成登机。达美航空表示，旅客进入机场以后就可以开始使用人脸识别系统。

After the first check-in, passengers can also use face recognition to pass through security and to get on the plane. Delta says the system prevents the need for travelers to present their passport up to four times during the usual check-in process.

在用人脸识别系统办理登机手续之后，旅客还可以用该系统通过安检并登机。达美航空表示，在常规登机流程中，旅客要出示四次护照才能完成登机，而这个系统避免了这种繁琐的流程。

Travelers look into a camera that scans their face. This image is then compared against a collection of pictures kept by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The agency collects face scans from passports and visas.

旅客只需看向镜头，进行脸部扫描。系统会将扫描图像与美国海关与边境保护局存档的照片进行对比。该机构从旅客护照和签证上采集扫描图像。

The system, however, has raised concerns about privacy. Earlier this year, two U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, which is home to the border protection agency.

但是，这一系统引发了隐私担忧。今年早些时候，两名美国议员曾致信美国国土安全部，而美国海关与边境保护局隶属于国土安全部。

Senators Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Mike Lee of Utah urged that official rules be put in place before the program is expanded. Official rules, the senators said, would help Americans understand and accept the program.

马萨诸塞州参议员埃德·马基和犹他州参议员迈克·李要求在这个项目扩大之前出台官方规定。两位参议员表示，官方规定有助于美国人理解并接受这个项目。

Jeramie Scott is a lawyer with the Electronic Privacy Information Center. He has called the use of facial recognition at U.S. airports a “massive threat.”

杰拉米·斯科特是美国电子隐私信息中心的律师。他认为美国机场使用人脸识别技术会带来“严重威胁”。

Scott placed a statement on Twitter. He said his fear is that the government’s facial recognition database of citizens could be used for other purposes without an individual’s permission.

斯科特在推特上发表了一份声明。他说，他担心政府用公民信息建立的人脸识别数据库会在未得到公民允许的情况下用于其他目的。

“The government now has the power to identify you whenever it wants, without your consent, and even without your knowledge,” he said.

他说，“现在政府有权在任何时候进行识别，这没有得到人们的同意，人们甚至对此毫不知情。”

Scott added that through facial recognition, the government has created “a digital ID of millions of Americans.” He added: “And they did this without a public discussion or consent – taking photos collected for one purpose and using it for another.”

斯科特还说，政府可以通过人脸识别技术创建“数百万美国公民的数字身份。”他说，“在未经公开讨论或未征得同意的情况下，政府就开始拍摄照片，为某个目的收集信息，而且可能还会将这些信息用于另一个目的。”

John Wagner is deputy executive assistant commissioner⁵ of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP. He told CBS News any U.S. citizen who has privacy concerns can choose not to take part in the facial recognition system. He said this would prevent the airline from collecting a face scan to compare with CBP records.

约翰·瓦格纳是美国海关与边境保护局（简称CBP）的副行政助理专员。他在接受哥伦比亚广播公司的采访时表示，任何对隐私感到担忧的美国公民都可以选择不使用人脸识别系统。他说，这可以阻止航空公司收集将与CBP的记录进行对比的脸部扫描图像。

The CBP says its policy is to remove photos of U.S. citizens from its system once their identities have been confirmed.

美国海关与边境保护局表示，依据政策，他们会将身份获得证实的美国公民的的照片从系统中删除。

Delta says about two percent of passengers using the Atlanta airport terminal have chosen not to use the facial recognition system. Next year, the airline plans to expand its biometric system for international travelers at Detroit Metropolitan⁶ Airport in Michigan.

达美航空公司表示，在通过亚特兰大机场航站楼出行的旅客中，有约2%的人选择不使用人脸识别系统。达美航空计划明年继续推广其生物终端系统，为密歇根州底特律大都会机场的国际旅客提供服务。

Words in This Story

terminal – n. building where people to get onto an aircraft, bus, or ship

biometric – adj. involving the application of statistical⁷ analysis to biological data

scan – v. capturing an image using a special machine

check-in –n. the act or process of reporting one’s arrival at a hotel or airport

database – n. information stored in a computer in an organized structure so that it can be searched in different ways

consent – n. permission for someone to do something

digital – adj. relating to computer technology, especially the internet

1 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

3 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

7 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。