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:
Karnataka Plans Facial Recognition Attendance for College Lecturers to Boost Accountability
The Department of Pre-University Education in Karnataka, India, plans to implement a facial recognition-based attendance system for lecturers in government-run pre-university colleges to improve accountability and monitor performance. This geo-tagged system aims to ensure lecturers are physically present at their assigned locations, especially those with responsibilities at multiple colleges. Following this, the department also intends to introduce a similar system for students, with a pilot planned for a government college in Malleswaram.
UK Ministers Launch Charm Offensive to Quell Rebellion Over Mandatory Digital ID
UK ministers have begun a “charm offensive” to persuade skeptical MPs to support a new mandatory digital ID scheme. The government is holding meetings with MPs to gather ideas on how the digital ID could improve public services and to address concerns about the program. The initial use of the digital ID will be for right-to-work checks, with future plans to expand it for accessing health and benefits data.
Scotland’s Ruling SNP Passes Resolution Opposing Police Use of Live Facial Recognition
The Scottish National Party (SNP), Scotland’s largest political party, has passed a resolution to oppose the use of live facial recognition (LFR) by Police Scotland. This decision highlights a growing divide within the UK, as police in England and Wales are increasing their use of the technology. The SNP’s resolution adds to the ongoing debate about the ethics and regulation of LFR technology for law enforcement in a democratic society.
India Post Deploys Facial Recognition to Bring Banking to Leprosy-Affected Citizens
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has implemented a facial recognition-based banking system to assist individuals with leprosy and others who cannot use fingerprint biometrics for verification. This initiative, which began in the Amravati division and is now available nationwide, helps a previously excluded community access government benefits and financial services. The system uses both facial and iris recognition on 5G-enabled mobile devices, allowing postal employees to open accounts and process transactions at customers’ homes.
Lawsuit Alleging Covert Facial Recognition Use by Chicago Cubs Voluntarily Dismissed
A class-action lawsuit filed against the Chicago Cubs for allegedly using facial recognition technology at Wrigley Field in violation of Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) has been voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs. The Cubs denied the allegations, and the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be refiled later. The lawsuit was part of a larger trend of litigation under BIPA, which has been used to challenge biometric data collection by various companies.
Kaohsiung International Airport Adopts Next-Generation Passenger Processing Systems in Seven-Year SITA Partnership
Kaohsiung International Airport, Taiwan’s second-largest international hub, has entered into a seven-year agreement with SITA to modernize its passenger processing systems, including the latest Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE), Common Use Self-Service (CUSS) kiosks, and the Local Departure Control System (LDCS). This partnership aims to streamline check-in and boarding, allow airlines to share check-in counters, and enable passengers to use self-service options for check-in and bag tag printing. The implementation of the Local Departure Control System is designed to ensure operational stability by allowing boarding to continue even if the main airline systems experience downtime.
By the ID Tech Editorial Team