Facial Recognition Regulations Under the Microscope in the US and EU – 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:

Academies of Sciences Report Suggests Executive Order for Facial Recognition Regulations

A new report from the US National Academies of Sciences suggests that the White House should consider issuing an Executive Order outlining how federal agencies should use facial recognition technology (FRT), and recommends that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) outline standards and minimum requirements for FRT depending on the application area. Entitled “Facial Recognition Technology: Current Capabilities, Future Prospects, and Governance”, the report was sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, and outlines both FRT’s potential benefits and its potential threats to privacy and civil liberties.

MEP Says Changes Were Made to AI Act After Facial Recognition Agreement

A German lawmaker in the European Union is decrying changes made to the forthcoming Artificial Intelligence Act that would allow police to apply facial recognition technology to recorded video, according to a new report from Politico. MEP Svenja Hahn says that the amendments were exercised after lawmakers had agreed on the AI Act’s facial recognition rules in early December. Hahn argues that the original “oral agreement” on FRT approved the retrospective use of facial recognition “only for very serious crimes, under very strict conditions, such as a prior judicial reservation.”

Identity Industry Veteran Is FaceTec’s New VP

Manos Mavrikos has been named as FaceTec’s new VP of Global Customer & Partner Success. Having notably started his career in software and SaaS at Microsoft in 2004, Mavrikos went on to serve in high-level marketing positions with multiple leading names in identity tech, including Jumio (from 2014 to 2016), Mitek (2016 to 2019), and iProov (2019 to 2022). “His deep understanding of the industry landscape will be an important part of FaceTec’s continued growth,” explained CEO Kevin Alan Tussy.

FPC Launches Biometric Card Enrolment Solution

Fingerprint Cards has announced the launch of FPC Smart ‘Nroll, an at-home enrolment system for fingerprint-scanning payment cards. The system is designed to power the payment card during the enrolment phase, and to guide the user through the process via a display with a progress bar. In announcing the solution, FPC also said that it is “compatible with a unique re-use bank program,” though the company did not elaborate on what such a program would entail. FPC Smart ‘Nroll’s launch arrives on the heels of Zwipe’s announcement that it was abandoning its own biometric payment card efforts after seeing more traction in the access control market.

Sweat Sensing Wearables Startup Gets New Investments

Epicore Biosystems has received an investment from Silicon Valley’s Pegasus Tech Ventures, and from Denka, a Japan-based chemical company. Epicore has been working on wearable technology that can measure biometrics pertaining to sweat and electrolyte loss, as well as skin temperature. The company did not disclose the size of the new investment, but said it is “the first of a larger series”, and will be used to support scaling and distribution the technology in Japan and the broader regional market.

Singaporean Rental Platform Leverages Singpass Digital ID

Singapore’s digital ID app, Singpass, will play an important role in a newly launched proptech platform developed by the domestic startup Rently. The platform is essentially designed to enable deposit-free rentals, simplifying the process for tenants and landlords. Singpass, which supports the use of selfie-based biometric identity verification, is being used to help “eliminate the stress associated with handing over deposits to unknown individuals, providing assurance that the rental transaction is legitimate,” explained Rently founder Dominic Schacher. The startup is expected to proceed with a Series A funding round this quarter.

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January 18, 2024 – by Alex Perala