Like it or not, facial recognition is creeping into more public spaces. The US Secret Service has quietly started testing the technology in and around the White House grounds, including nearby parks and streets, to see if it can "biometrically confirm" the identities of volunteer Secret Service employees. The pilot program will only retain images if there's a match and won't share information with other agencies, but the ultimate goal is to spot known "subjects of interest" (read: potential threats) before there's a run-in with law enforcement. The test runs until August 30th, after which point the Secret Service will delete any facial data it collected during the period unless there's an "open law enforcement matter." Not surprisingly, the ACLU has expressed many concerns about the pilot.

Chinese guests at Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, may soon be able to check in with a quick scan of their facial features. The chain will work in a joint venture with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to test facial recognition check-ins at two China hotels this month, the firms said on Wednesday, with ambitions for a global rollout later. China is spearheading the use of facial recognition for everything from helping control major live events to ordering fast-food, but also bolstering a growing domestic surveillance system that has raised fears among human rights activists of privacy being invaded. The joint venture said the new technology would help guests jump queues and cut the check-in process to less than a minute, compared to at least three minutes at a normal counter. Chinese guests will need to scan their IDs, take a photo and input contact details on an automated machine, the firms said.

A spokeswoman for SenseTime, a facial-recognition software company dual-based in Beijing and Hong Kong, said it was "exploring the situation" and declined further comment. The company includes Singapore's state investor Temasek as one of its backers following a $600 million funding round which closed on Monday.

Jetblue will allow passengers to take a picture instead of scanning boarding pass. A link has been sent to your friend's email address. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Jetblue will allow passengers to take a picture instead of scanning boarding pass.