Identity News Digest – June 11, 2024

Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:

Philippines Launches Digital ID with Selfie-based Onboarding

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have launched the Digital National ID, which serves as valid identification for government and private transactions. The initiative includes two new authentication platforms, National ID eVerify and National ID Check, which use facial recognition and real-time data verification to ensure ID authenticity. Accessible via the official website or the eGovPH app, the digital ID requires demographic information and facial verification.

Police to Secure British Grand Prix with FRT

Northamptonshire Police will deploy facial recognition technology at the British Grand Prix for the second consecutive year, aiming to prevent criminal activity among the 480,000 expected attendees from July 4-7. Initially used at Silverstone in 2023, the system scans faces and matches them against a watch list, with manual checks like fingerprints to reduce wrongful identifications. Det. Supt. Richard Tompkins highlighted the importance of the technology in addressing new challenges each year and warned criminals that their images would be uploaded if they are wanted in Northamptonshire or nearby areas.

U.S. Open Tournaments Give Facial Recognition a Swing

The United States Golf Association (USGA) has partnered with Wicket to trial facial recognition technology during U.S. Open tournaments, starting with the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club, Pennsylvania. Around 1,000 fans per day used the biometric day-pass system to leave and re-enter by scanning their faces after an initial 30-second registration. Following its success, the technology was implemented at the men’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst, aimed at streamlining entry and exit processes for enhanced convenience and security. Wicket’s technology, which converts facial images into mathematical vectors stored securely on a private network, is also used in other sports venues, including by the Cleveland Browns, where it significantly reduced queue times and operational costs.

Illinois Residents Get Their $32.56 Payouts for Instagram’s Biometric Privacy Violations

Illinois residents who participated in a $68.5 million class-action lawsuit against Instagram have begun receiving settlement payments of $32.56 each. The lawsuit claimed that Instagram’s features collected biometric data without complying with Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which requires companies to meet specific conditions before collecting and storing biometric information. The settlement applies to Illinois residents who used Instagram from August 10, 2015, to August 16, 2023. This case is among several BIPA-related settlements in recent years, including a recent $1.85 million settlement by a janitorial services provider. A significant amendment to BIPA that recently passed by the state legislature aims to cap fines at $1,000 per person for violations, as opposed to charging companies on a per infraction basis.

Anonybit Platform Goes Multimodal with Armatura’s Palm Biometrics

Anonybit has expanded its platform to support multimodal biometrics by integrating Armatura’s palm scanning technology into its privacy-preserving decentralized identity solution. Founded in 2021, Anonybit’s platform enhances biometric data security by fragmenting biometric templates and storing each piece separately, mitigating risks from hacks or breaches. Biometric matching is achieved through multi-party computation, validating each fragment individually. Previously focused on facial recognition, Anonybit now includes palm-based authentication, which has gained popularity through implementations like Whole Foods’ loyalty program.

Telangana Police Hit by Second Major Data Breach as App Compromised

The Telangana Police in India have experienced their second major data breach in about a week, with the TSCOP (Telangana State COP) app being compromised. The TSCOP app, launched in 2018, is an internal tool that provides police officers with instant access to criminal databases and includes an integrated facial recognition system. The breach occurred due to the app’s developer embedding passwords in plain text, which allowed hackers to easily access the data. This follows a previous breach involving the Hawkeye app, which exposed sensitive data of over 200,000 users, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and SOS records.

Mastercard Brings Biometric Checkout Program to Europe

Mastercard has launched its Biometric Checkout Program in Poland in collaboration with Empik and PayEye, marking its first in-store biometric payment pilot in Europe. The program allows customers to pay for purchases using iris and facial recognition technology by simply glancing at a sensor, eliminating the need for physical payment cards, cash, or mobile devices. The pilot is being tested in five Empik stores across various Polish cities including Warsaw and Kraków. Marta Życińska, Mastercard’s General Manager for Poland, highlighted Poland’s suitability for such an innovative pilot. PayEye is providing the infrastructure with its eyePOS terminals, which combine iris and facial biometrics for enhanced security and user convenience. This initiative follows Mastercard’s recent rollout of the Biometric Checkout Program in Uruguay, which uses palm recognition technology.

Ukraine’s Digital ID Upgrade Adds War Veteran Credentials

Ukraine’s mobile ID app, Diia, has added new functionality allowing war veterans to add their official credentials to the platform. Developed by the Ukrainian government, Diia centralizes various public services and provides digital versions of official documents like driver’s licenses and passports. The new digital Veteran ID is available to combatants, war-disabled individuals, participants in the Revolution of Dignity, and other veterans, providing a secure and convenient way to verify status and access benefits such as free public transport, medical services, and educational opportunities. Launched in 2020, Diia has rapidly evolved to support citizens during the ongoing conflict with Russia, offering features like address changes, cash subsidies for those fleeing combat zones, remote work listings, and functionality to aid Ukrainian defense efforts by allowing users to upload location-tagged photos of Russian targets and submit tips about potential saboteurs.

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June 11, 2024 — by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala