These were not photos submitted with visa applications.
> The compromised photos were taken of travelers in vehicles coming in and out of the US through specific lanes at a single Port of Entry over a one and a half months period.
The article also mentions this was part of a new program to use facial recognition on everyone entering the country. We've never had that capability before, so I see this working like it always has.
Regarding the visa photos, it depends on what they're used for. In general I'd prefer avoiding ongoing surveillance as much as possible, which reduces the need to keep digital photos preserved in accessible places.
> The compromised photos were taken of travelers in vehicles coming in and out of the US through specific lanes at a single Port of Entry over a one and a half months period.
The article also mentions this was part of a new program to use facial recognition on everyone entering the country. We've never had that capability before, so I see this working like it always has.
Regarding the visa photos, it depends on what they're used for. In general I'd prefer avoiding ongoing surveillance as much as possible, which reduces the need to keep digital photos preserved in accessible places.