UK Facial Recognition Ruling Could Spur Innovation
(PYMNTS, May 27, 2022)
The U.K.’s data-privacy watchdog’s recent $10 million fine on facial recognition company Clearview AI Inc. could spur innovation in the space, including advancements in payments technology, as it “sets clearer ground rules for balancing software innovation with people’s right to privacy,” according to a report in The Wall Street Journal Wednesday (May 25). The Information Commissioner’s Office alleged in its ruling that Clearview collected images of people without their consent, but experts say that fine won’t be enough to scare off innovators from using facial recognition. In fact, it could encourage them to push the boundaries of what’s possible. “Clearview AI was operating well outside the bounds of what many AI practitioners are comfortable doing,” Jeremy Howard, co-founder of Fast.ai, an online service that provides resources for AI developers and researchers, told WSJ. “Knowing that such a use of personal imagery is being penalized is encouraging to those of us that want to build useful tools in an ethical way."
World Economic Forum Pushes Facial Recognition Technology
(Brownstone.org, May 27, 2022)
he World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has just ended. The theme of the five-day event, “Working Together, Restoring Trust,” was both vague and troubling, in equal measures. Remember, this is the WEF we are discussing here, an international organization actively pushing “The Great Reset.” The theme could just as easily have read: “Suffering Together, Restoring Compliance.” Among the many issues discussed, members focused on the spread of misinformation and disinformation. How, they asked, can the proliferation of harmful content be combatted? It’s easy, they answered, how about introducing digital IDs? The WEF recently rolled out the Global Coalition for Digital Safety, an initiative designed to “accelerate public-private cooperation to tackle harmful content online.” In an effort to remedy the scourge of malicious material, the WEF has brought together a “diverse group of leaders who are well placed to exchange best practices for new online safety regulation and help millions of connected citizens improve digital media literacy.”
Mastercard’s Newly Launched Face Recognition Payment System is Already Raising Accuracy Concerns
(Businessinsider.in, May 27, 2022)
Mastercard recently launched a new facial recognition payment system that lets shoppers make payments with their face or hand gestures. This new payment system is being rolled out to biometric payment systems including fingerprint scanning and facial recognition. The new payment system from Mastercard is known as ‘smile to pay.’ It is aimed to reduce transaction times, shorten queues in shops, increase security and improve hygiene by going cardless. Currently, this feature is live in Brazil and Sao Paulo. The company says it plans to roll it out globally later this year. With this new tech company aims to change the way we pay but it also raises concerns relating to data storage, customer privacy and crime risks.
80% of Consumers Prefer ID Verification When Selecting Online Brands
(HelpNetSecurity, May 27, 2022)
Jumio released the findings of its global research conducted by Opinium, which shows the impact of the increasing use of digital identity on consumer preferences and expectations. The research questioned 8,000 adult consumers split evenly across the UK, U.S., Singapore and Mexico. It found that 57% of consumers across the globe now have to use their digital identity “constantly” or “often” to access their online accounts following the pandemic. Consumers in Singapore report the highest level of digital identity use (70%), as opposed to in the UK (50%), the U.S. (52%) and Mexico (55%).
Postal ID Checks Floated as Selfie Alternative to Fight Fraud
(Bloomberg Law, May 27, 2022)
Post offices across the U.S. have the potential to play a larger role in proving a person’s identity to access unemployment and other government benefits, while also addressing privacy and fairness concerns over technology used to prevent fraud. The U.S. Postal Service already provides in-person proofing, or identity verification, for passport applications, background-check fingerprinting, and other services. A person must show an ID card to postal staff to confirm they are who they claim to be. Expanding these post office capabilities would make it easier for Americans to undergo identity checks locally, while also providing a fallback to online options that may require authentication methods such as facial recognition, according to a new report from the USPS Office of Inspector General. Verifying credentials in person through the Postal Service would potentially help resolve privacy and bias concerns raised over the use of facial recognition technology, as well as fairness issues for people lacking access to the internet or a digital device. An in-person alternative also could help government agencies combat benefits fraud fueled by the theft of personal information online.
Identity Week America, October 4 - 5, 2022
(Terrapinn, May 27, 2022)
IDENTITY WEEK is the most important identity event in the USA. IDENTITY WEEK is a conference and exhibition bringing together the brightest minds in the identity sector to promote innovation, new thinking, and more effective identity solutions. Key areas of focus include secure physical credentials, digital identity, and advanced authentication technologies, such as biometrics.
