Facial Recognition Has Error Rates Up To 50% When Trying To Identify Masked Faces
(Brink Wire, Jul 28, 2020)
Face masks designed to stop the spread of coronavirus are causing significant difficulties for facial recognition systems. A preliminary study published this week found that even the best commercial facial recognition systems can be wrong up to half the time. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) discovered face coverings can cause error rates of between five and 50 per cent.
Rite Aid Has Been Using Facial Recognition For Years In Lower Income Communities
(Drew Report News, Jul 28, 2020)
Rite Aid utilized facial recognition systems in hundreds of its pharmacies across the US over the last a number of years. According to a Reuters examination, the technology was deployed in “mostly lower-income, non-white communities” in New York and Los Angeles and had actually remained in use for over eight years.
How Face Masks Are Fooling Facial Recognition Software
(Big Think, Jul 28, 2020)
The study tested how accurately 89 commercial facial recognition algorithms could identify people who had masks on. To do that, the researchers tested a specific method of facial recognition called "one-to-one" matching, where the software compares a photo of a person to a different photo of the same person. The algorithm works by measuring the exact distance between a person's facial features, and it's the same technique used to unlock smartphone and verify passports.
Michigan’s Online Bar Exam Testers Worry Software Tracks Eye Movements, Noises
(Detroit Free Press, Jul 28, 2020)
After a short stint as a journalist didn't work out, Casey Cheney found himself doing manual labor, wondering whether there was something else he could be doing. A conversation with a friend who was a lawyer ended up sparking his interest and Cheney found himself enrolled in Wayne State University's Law School. Skip forward a few years and Cheney has his degree but now must pass the the state's bar exam — a challenge in normal times, but exacerbated now by how the exam will be given.
Chinese Facial Recognition Tech Joins Argentine Battle Against COVID-19
(PML Daily, Jul 28, 2020)
Chinese facial recognition technology has become an ally in Argentina’s battle against COVID-19, helping promote social distancing and the use of face masks, and protecting public transit riders by checking commuters for fever before boarding. Through state-owned company Trenes Argentinos Operaciones, Argentine Ministry of Transportation recently launched a two-week pilot program that saw new facilities equipped with such technology installed at turnstile entrances to Buenos Aires’ main Mitre Line of commuter trains.
Vermont Amends Data Breach Notification Law, Enacts Student Privacy Act
(JD Supra, Jul 28, 2020)
On July 1, 2020, amendments to Vermont’s Security Breach Notice Act, 9 V.S.A. §§ 2330 & 2335, took effect along with a new “Student Online Personal Information Protection Act.” Key amendments to the security breach act include:
NBA Season Restarts On July 30: Everything You Need To Know
(News 18, Jul 28, 2020)
Based on a competitive format approved by the NBA Board of Governors and the NBPA, 22 teams will return to play during the 2019-20 NBA season. The 22 teams consist of the 16 teams (eight per conference) in current playoff positions and the six teams that are currently six games or fewer behind the eighth seed in their respective conferences. Teams are permitted up to 17 players in Orlando, including 14 or 15 players on a standard NBA contract and additional two-way spots.There will be no live audience or tickets available for the remaining 2019-20 Restart games through the NBA Finals due to COVID-19 health protocols.
Technical Problem Delays Issue Of Passports, Ministry Says
(Cyprus Mail, Jul 28, 2020)
Due to technical problems that arose during the upgrade of the system for issuing passports and IDs, a delay in their delivery is expected, the interior ministry announced on Tuesday. A new type of biometric passports for diplomats and residents is expected to be released on Thursday, July 30, while all existing passports remain valid until their expiration date and do not need to be replaced, the announcement said.
ACI-NA Govt Affairs Updates
(ACI-NA, Jul 28, 2020)
Senate Republican leaders today released the details of their next COVID-19 relief package, collectively called the HEALS Act, which calls for additional $10 billion in emergency funding for airports, as well as nearly $2 billion in additional resources for TSA and CBP. You can find a summary of the appropriations measure here and the bill text here.
NHL Teams Up With CLEAR To Create Safer Stanley Cup Playoff Environment
(VOX, Jul 28, 2020)
Now that airports are emptier than they’ve ever been, the air travel security platform Clear is adapting its technology for new pandemic-centric purposes. On Thursday, the NHL announced that it would be using the tech to screen players and staff during the playoffs, and earlier this month, the employees of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum started using the screening platform to allow staff back onsite. The new moves are a sign that Clear wants to use its tech to get people back to work — and back to big events.
