CLEAR Plus is also newer than PreCheck and uses biometrics as standard; it benefits from a perception of being more cutting edge, Lipford says.

But Lipford expresses concern that travelers are sacrificing their privacy by agreeing to the biometric data collection of some expedited travel services.

“What was once a more conscious tradeoff between privacy and convenience is increasingly becoming an almost automatic decision for many consumers,” he says. “This could have serious consequences, collectively and in the long term, should such data ever be misused or accessed beyond its intended scope.”

“Privacy has historically been a fundamental component of daily life in the United States,” he adds, “and there is a growing argument that we are gradually relinquishing portions of that right in exchange for speed, efficiency, and convenience.”

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