Another Day, Another Worldcoin Investigation – Identity News Digest

Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:

Kazakh Officials Mull Airport Biometrics

Government authorities in Kazakhstan are considering the implementation of biometric passenger processing technologies at the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport. No decision has yet been made on whether to proceed with such a project, but the matter was discussed at a recent meeting of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK). The ICAO Traveler Identification Program (TRIP) Regional Symposium is slated to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s most populous metropolis, from December 6 to 8.

CNIL Opens Worldcoin Investigation

CNIL, France’s data protection authority, is now investigating Worldcoin over its “questionable” biometric data collection practices. The web3 startup, which is building a global identity platform that uses iris biometrics as ‘proof of personhood’ for its end users, announced its official launch earlier this week. In so doing, it attracted the attention of the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office, which said it “will be making enquiries” into the startup. CNIL indicated that its investigation will support the work of Bavarian privacy regulators, who have primary jurisdiction over the matter.

South Korean Airport Launches Biometric Boarding System

Incheon International Airport’s biometric passenger processing system is now live across all departure areas and 16 boarding gates. The ‘Smartpass’ system allows travelers to register their information, including face biometrics, through the ICN Smartpass mobile app, and to then move through departure and boarding gates without the need to present a passport or boarding pass. Travelers must still present passports and boarding passes for immigration checks, however. A handful of airlines are participating in the project, including Korean Air Lines and Delta Air Lines; and transportation officials are hoping to expand the service to other airlines and boarding gates over the next several months.

Socure VP Joins ITRC Board of Directors

Socure’s Jordan Burris has joined the Identity Theft Resource Center’s Board of Directors. The ITRC is a nonprofit focused on supporting the victims of identity crime. For his part, Burris is Socure’s Vice President and Head of Public Sector Strategy, and before joining the company he served as the Chief of Staff for the White House’s Federal Chief Information Officer. “Jordan’s expertise is just what we need to continue to offer advice to victims, organizations, and policymakers based on real-world, real-time experiences,” said ITRC head Eva Velasquez. Burris spoke with FindBiometrics at the Identiverse 2022 event last summer.

SC County Sees Biometric Gun Safes Deployed in Schools

Biometric gun safes have been deployed in 18 schools in the School District of Oconee County in South Carolina. Each school will have a designated ‘School Resource Officer’ whose thumbprint is registered with the school’s biometric safe, effectively ensuring that only the SRO can open it. “Giving our SRO’s quicker access to their patrol rifles, since they are already inside the buildings on campus, can provide that deputy a better opportunity, and reduce the time needed, to eliminate [a] threat,” explained Oconee Sheriff Mike Crenshaw.

Onfido Brings Biometric IDV to DocuSign

DocuSign has added selfie-based identity verification to its digital document signing platform, thanks to a partnership with Onfido. The latter’s biometric technology uses facial recognition to match a document signer, captured through live video, to their photo ID. Onfido’s ‘Liveness Detection for ID Verification’ solution scans for any signs of spoofing and ensures that the document signer was not using a fake webcam or emulator, and was physically present during the transaction.

NEC Reports ‘Brisk Demand’ in Business Update

NEC Corporation has issued an update for the first quarter of its 2024 fiscal year. Revenues were up 7.1 percent year-over-year, at about 706.5 billion yen, while its non-GAAP net result improved by 11.3 percent and EBITDA was up 15.9 percent. IT services comprised the bulk of its business, with NEC reporting “brisk demand” in the enterprise and public sectors. Among NEC’s business highlights for the quarter was the company’s launch of a generative AI service, with the company now reporting that it has received over a hundred inquiries since announcing the initiative earlier this month. The update also comes shortly after NEC’s announcement that it had won a contract to provide communications systems and an automated fare collection system for a major railway project in the Philippines.

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July 28, 2023 – by Alex Perala