California’s Watchdogs Are on Patrol – 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:

CCPA Prepares Regulations for ‘Automated Decision-Making Tech’

The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) is preparing to hold deliberations on its draft regulations for Automated Decision-Making Technologies (ADMT). Issued near the end of last month, the draft regulations are aimed at lining up the CCPA’s rules and enforcement actions with the Consumer Privacy Protection Act. ADMT are essentially defined as technologies that process data to execute decisions or aid human decision-making. The CPPA’s draft regulations include a requirement for businesses to provide opt-out mechanisms to consumers in public establishments whenever ADMTs, such as facial recognition, are deployed. The CPPA will open discussions on the draft regulations at a meeting on December 8, and expects to start formalizing its rules in early 2024.

Consumer Watchdog Asks AG to Go After Clearview AI

Consumer Watchdog, a prominent non-profit, has issued a public letter calling on the California Attorney General to use “all the powers available” to its office to prevent Clearview AI from continuing to sell its facial recognition technology to any public agencies in the state, and to take “punitive action” against the company for its alleged violations of state law. Consumer Watchdog says Clearview AI’s platform violates the CCPA’s “right to opt-out” provisions, and that it fails to comply with certain provisions regarding the handling of sensitive data attributed to minors.

Worldcoin Launches Grant Program for Builders

The Worldcoin Foundation has announced a $5 million grant program for developers interested in “building resilient technology and more equitable systems” on Worldcoin, the non-profit’s ambitious digital ID platform. Worldcoin is known for its prominent use of biometrics, with iris-scanning “Orb” devices being deployed to enroll individuals into the platform. The “Wave0” grant program is intended to support research and development projects tackling issues like privacy risks with respect to biometrics, and income inequality.

Indonesian Rail Company Plans Biometric Boarding Expansion

Officials at the state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) are planning to expand their use of biometric boarding technology to more gates at intercity train stations by February of next year. The technology was first deployed in September of 2022, with the initial rollout completed in October of this year. KAI’s smart gates use facial recognition to accept fare payments from enrolled customers, streamlining the boarding process. KAI also began trialing biometric passenger recognition systems in collaboration with the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry and the Ministry of Transportation earlier this year.

Neurotechnology Finishes Voter Registration Program in Liberia

Neurotechnology is celebrating a successful delivery of biometric technologies for Liberia’s voter registration program. While Laxton was selected as the primary contractor after a vexatious bidding process, it worked in close collaboration with Neurotechnology, which provided vital biometric software and services to support a six-week voter registration process that entailed the collection of face and fingerprint data of nearly 2.5 million people across the country. Commenting on the effort, Davidetta Browne Lansanah, the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Liberia, said her organization “recognizes Neurotechnology as a professional” in biometric voter registration.

Experian Teams With Montana-Based Behavioral Biometrics Firm

Experian has partnered with Montana-based NeuroID, integrating the latter’s behavioral biometrics technology into its CrossCore and PreciseID anti-fraud solutions. NeuroID’s platform is designed to scan end user behaviors in online sessions, including things like keystroke patterns and typing speed, to look for signs of fraud, and to streamline onboarding for legitimate actors. “With AI-enabled bot attacks on the rise, NeuroID’s unique behavioral analytics combined with our trusted fraud prevention solutions can help clients make informed, automated decisions during the account opening process, ultimately helping mitigate losses,” explained Kathleen Peters, the Chief Innovation Officer for Experian Decision Analytics in North America.

BlockID Comes to Amazon Cognito

1Kosmos’s BlockID platform is now compatible with Amazon Cognito, Amazon Web Services’ authentication and user management platform for mobile and web apps. This means that organizations can easily procure BlockID from the AWS Marketplace and implement it via AWS Cognito in their authentication framework. Primarily based on facial recognition with liveness detection, BlockID also supports fingerprint scanning and one-time passcodes for authentication.

FPC Names Chief Revenue Officer

Fingerprint Cards has appointed Hila Meller as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Meller has held senior roles with HP Enterprise Security Services, CA Technologies, and, most recently, BT Security, where she was Global Chief Revenue Officer and Global Head of Sales. Meller’s new role with FPC will formally begin on January 1st, and she will report directly to CEO Adam Philpott. In a statement, Philpott emphasized Meller’s important role in the recently restructured company. “Sales, alongside Product, is a primary pillar of Fingerprints’ new functional organization, and Hila’s extensive experience in leading sales organizations, in particular those focused on business-to-business, will be an invaluable asset to Fingerprints as we continue to focus on strengthening our market presence and growth,” he said.

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December 6, 2023 – by Alex Perala