Biometrics Under Debate in Europe – 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:

EU’s EES Delayed to Autumn 2024

The European Union has officially delayed the implementation of the biometric Entry/Exit System for the bloc’s Schengen Area, which allows unrestricted travel between member states. The new deadline for implementation has been set for the autumn of 2024, though an official Note from the Presidency of the body overseeing the project says that the “capturing and storing of biometrics… could be activated progressively.” That suggests different biometric border control systems across member states could come online at different times, offering Schengen states more wiggle room, and perhaps giving up on the idea of a firm deadline after the project’s multiple delays.

AI Act Negotiations Stall Ahead of Trilogue Meeting

European Union negotiations on the forthcoming AI Act are stalled ahead of an important meeting slated for this Tuesday. Failure to come to terms in this “trilogue” discussion between members of the European Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament will push back any possible deal until December at the earliest. The AI Act is meant to set rules for the use of a range of technologies, from generative AI tools like ChatGPT to facial recognition and biometric surveillance.

French Politician Calls for Facial Recognition Surveillance After Terror Attack

The President of France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez, has proposed a legal change to allow the deployment of facial recognition technology near schools after a terrorist murdered a teacher at a school in the region earlier this month. The aim would be to connect a surveillance system to an existing watchlist of individuals considered to be terrorist threats. Wauquiez’s proposal has provoked outrage from some fellow legislators.

‘Lawsuit Abuse’ Advocate Wants Illinois to Revisit BIPA

An advocacy group called “Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse” is urging lawmakers to revise state legislation so as to prevent businesses from facing penalties for each instance of a violation of Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). It’s an echo of a similar sentiment expressed in an Illinois Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, when it wrote that the General Assembly should “review these policy concerns about potentially excessive damage awards.” Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse is pushing for such a change ahead of the fall veto session, a time when legislators reconsider vetoes issued by the Governor and also address other items that weren’t completed during the spring legislative session.

Abu Dhabi Airport Gets Face-Scanning ‘Robot’

Abu Dhabi Customs has debuted a “robot” – a smart kiosk with a humanoid shape – that is meant to better serve travelers at the Abu Dhabi Airport. The product is equipped with facial recognition and is reportedly designed to read facial expressions and body language. Its primary function is customer service, but officials are considering deploying it for use in customs clearance. The airport’s “Terminal A”, meanwhile, will go live with its “interconnected biometric systems” starting next month.

Jumio Launches Risk Scoring System at Money20/20

Jumio has unveiled a new anti-fraud solution based on predictive analytics. The company says its Jumio 360° Fraud Analytics system “looks at billions of data points” for behaviors and signals that point to potential fraud, and generates a risk score based on its assessment. Importantly for security decision makers, it’s not a black box. “Because explainability is a key requirement when using automation, we provide insights on why the identity transaction was rejected,” said the company’s Chief of Digital Identity, Philipp Pointner, adding that the system also delivers a graphical representation of any detected fraud linkages. The system was debuted at this week’s Money20/20 event in Las Vegas.

Infineon Gets a New ‘Premium Partner’

Fingerprint Cards has become a “Premium Partner” of Infineon Technologies, a move that the companies say will allow them to “pool their extensive experience and portfolios to further drive growth and innovation for the industry.” The move comes after FPC and Infineon announced a partnership last November that would see the development of a biometric payment card solution combining Fingerprints’ FPC1323 fingerprint sensor with Infineon’s SLC39B Secure Element solution.

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October 23, 2023 – by Alex Perala