Welcome to ID Tech’s digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:
FaceTec Names Former Arizona DOT Facial Recognition Chief as Government Director
FaceTec has named Faith Contreras as Director of Government Outreach, leveraging her three decades of experience at Arizona’s DOT, where she led facial recognition initiatives for public safety. Her appointment supports FaceTec’s push into government markets amid rising demand for secure biometric identity verification solutions.
Mitek Systems Names Digital Identity Pioneer Garrett Gafke as New COO
Mitek Systems has appointed Garrett Gafke as Chief Operating Officer to drive operational strategy and product development as the company scales its digital identity and fraud prevention solutions. A veteran of IdentityMind and Intellicheck, Gafke joins amid broader leadership changes and recent platform launches targeting deepfake and identity fraud detection.
Microsoft Makes Passwordless Authentication Default for New Accounts
Microsoft has made all new accounts passwordless by default, replacing traditional logins with passkeys, biometrics, or security keys to improve security and user experience. The shift aligns with rising industry adoption of passwordless methods and follows Microsoft’s broader efforts to reduce password-based threats, which it says now exceed 7,000 attacks per second.
California Bill Targets Workplace Surveillance and AI Employee Monitoring
California’s AB 1221 is advancing through the legislature and would impose strict limits on workplace surveillance, banning tools like facial recognition and emotion analysis while requiring employers to notify workers and grant access to collected data. The bill, supported by labor groups and opposed by business associations, could set a national benchmark for employee privacy regulation.
ANZ Bank to eliminate passwords for online banking by 2025
ANZ Bank will transition its ANZ Plus platform to fully passwordless authentication by mid-2025, replacing passwords with passkeys and mobile app verification for over one million users. The move aligns with global banking trends toward biometric and cryptographic login methods aimed at improving security and user experience.
Denmark Unveils World’s First National Law to Regulate AI Deepfakes
Denmark has proposed the world’s first full ban on non-consensual deepfakes, making it illegal to publish AI-generated media of real individuals without their consent, with narrow exceptions for labeled satire and parody. The law grants individuals takedown rights and holds platforms accountable, aiming to protect digital identity amid rising misuse of synthetic content.
World Partners with Visa to Launch Crypto-to-Fiat Payment Card
World has partnered with Visa to launch the World Card, a crypto-linked payment card enabling verified users to spend digital assets like WLD at over 150 million merchants worldwide. Linked to the World App and restricted to users with biometric World IDs, the card will launch in the U.S. in late 2025 and offer AI-focused rewards, though regulatory challenges may impact global expansion.
ebankIT Partners with Prove to Boost Digital Banking Security Worldwide
EbankIT has partnered with Prove to integrate mobile-centric identity verification into its banking platform, enabling faster, more secure onboarding and reducing fraud risks like synthetic identities and account takeovers. The integration supports global regulatory compliance and aligns with both firms’ strategies to enhance digital banking security and user experience.
Danish Football Club Gets Green Light for Stadium Facial Recognition System
The Danish Data Protection Agency has approved FC Copenhagen’s use of facial recognition at Parken Stadium and related venues for football events, allowing biometric monitoring to identify banned individuals and enhance security. The deployment, limited to club and UEFA matches, must follow strict privacy safeguards, including 30-day data retention and pre-use impact assessments.
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May 2, 2025 – by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala
