Big BIPA Developments and a Worldcoin Challenger – 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:

Dating Platform’s BIPA Bid Foiled by Service Agreement

Millionaire Match, a dating platform for rich people, has failed in its bid to get a class action lawsuit under Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act moved to arbitration. The company is accused of violating BIPA through its collection of users’ face biometrics. Its argument that the dispute should go to arbitration rested on its service agreement. But the devil is in the details, and the presiding judge determined that important hyperlinked terms in the agreement were not sufficiently “conspicuous”. They were underlined but otherwise the same as the surrounding text. As a result, the plaintiff isn’t bound by the service agreement, and the case can proceed in court.

Insurer Gets BIPA Reprieve

Citizens Insurance Co. of America has won a reprieve in a BIPA case involving one of its clients, Mullins Food Products. The case revolves around Mullins’ use of a biometric time and attendance system, with the plaintiff arguing that the company unlawfully shared workers’ biometric data. A federal judge has determined that Citizens’ Insurance does not have to cover Mullins’ legal costs in this case, thanks to two exceptions in its insurance policy—one regarding the illegal recording or sharing of information, and another that is concerned with improperly accessing or revealing personal information.

Judge Unconvinced by Meta’s Jurisdiction Claim

A federal judge in California has rejected Meta’s argument that Illinois law cannot be applied to the company in a BIPA case concerning its alleged collection of voice biometric data through its Facebook and Messenger platforms. Meta had tried to argue that language in its terms of service would result in the application of California law—a notion that U.S. Senior District Judge Susan Illston denied. “If California law is applied, the Illinois policy of protecting its citizens’ privacy interests in their biometric data, especially in the context of dealing with ‘major national corporations’ like Facebook, would be written out of existence,” she wrote.

Turkey to Equip Cops With Face-Scanning Body Cams

Turkey will require all police officers to wear body cameras equipped with facial recognition starting in 2025. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the effort will be overseen by ASELSAN, a major Turkish defense contractor and electronics company. “While checking documents, if someone being observed from the central command is a wanted individual, immediate intervention will take place,” Minister Yerlikaya told CNN Türk.

Worldcoin Challenger Enters Arena

Humanity Protocol (HP) has officially been announced as a direct competitor to Worldcoin. Like the latter, it is seeking to establish a blockchain-based identity platform rooted in biometrics. But instead of using iris scans to register users, as Worldcoin does, HP is relying on palmprint scans, which the startup describes as “a less invasive identity verification alternative”. The startup has received backing from venture capital firms including Hashed, CMCC, Cypher Capital, Foresight Ventures, and Mechanism Capital. It will have some catching up to do, with Worldcoin reportedly having signed up nearly four million users.

Bill Would Pave Way for Mobile ID in Illinois

Proposed legislation to establish a mobile ID system in Illinois has been endorsed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. The bill would enable the Secretary of State to issue a mobile-based state ID or driver’s license to anyone who is eligible to hold physical versions of the credentials. And it would allow the Secretary of State to contract with agencies of Illinois, other states, the federal government, or private third parties to issue, use, and verify the mobile credentials. The digital credentials would have the advantage of greater privacy than physical documents, allowing holders to selectively share relevant information with requesting parties. Read the full story on Mobile ID World.

–

February 29, 2024 – by Alex Perala