From the thesis: "After the events of 9/11, facial recognition technology (FRT) emerged as a security solution for identifying and verifying individuals in a homeland security setting. Although FRT demonstrates security benefits, the public has not widely accepted the government's use of the technology. FRT critics raise ethical and societal concerns regarding the negative impact of the technology on the public, including privacy concerns, constitutional rights violations, biased and inaccurate technology, and data management. How can FRT be implemented in a way that is both efficient and ethical? This thesis analyzes FRT through a three-pronged approach. First, the thesis applies the 'How to Do It Right' ethical framework to a government agency's decision-making process. The second step identifies ethical operating principles through a crosswalk of the varied and often inconsistent operating principles published by the security industry, government audit agencies, and watchdog groups. Finally, the thesis utilizes a real-world case study to explore an operational FRT program and illustrate best practices. It recommends that following an ethical framework during decision-making and incorporating ethical principles and best practices into FRT programs during development and implementation mitigates the public's ethical and societal concerns."