Identity News Digest – June 18, 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:

CyberLink’s FaceMe System Gets an Upgrade

CyberLink has released version 7.15 of its FaceMe Security solution, a facial recognition-based system for identity verification, attendance management, and access control. A significant new feature is the ‘Notification Monitor’ add-on, which alerts security personnel with blinking notifications and sounds when a blocklisted individual is detected, displaying real-time information for proactive incident prevention. The update also enhances flexibility through integration with CyberLink’s U Messenger app, allowing users to set specific alert parameters and send notifications to different chat groups based on alert types. This upgrade follows CyberLink’s achievement of ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for its FaceMe platform, underscoring its commitment to rigorous information security standards.

Five Eyes Data-Sharing Has Dramatically Expanded with Limited Oversight: Report

A recent investigative report reveals that the Five Eyes data-sharing scheme, initially designed to verify the identities of a few thousand asylum seekers, has dramatically expanded with minimal oversight. The Five Eyes alliance, which includes New Zealand, the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, now tracks everyone entering or leaving these nations, with annual checks soaring from 3,000 to 8 million. The scheme has shifted from sharing asylum seekers’ fingerprints to automatically sharing comprehensive biometric and biographic data of all travelers, often without their knowledge or consent. This expansion and the secrecy surrounding the agreements have raised significant concerns about errors, such as mistaken identity, and the lack of mechanisms for individuals to correct these errors.

Thousands More Gun Safes Recalled Amid Safety Concerns

SA Consumer Products has recalled 133,370 gun safes, including the Sanctuary Quick Access Biometric Home Safe and the Sports Afield Home Defense 4-Gun Biometric Safe, due to unreliable biometric locks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the recall after reports indicated that unauthorized users could open the safes, posing a significant risk of serious injury or death. SA Consumer Products reported 77 instances of unauthorized access, though no injuries were recorded. This recall follows the CPSC’s earlier announcement in February, which included recalls for multiple brands such as Machir, Bulldog, MouTec, and Awesafe, after a tragic incident where a faulty biometric lock on a Fortress Safe allowed a 12-year-old boy to gain access, resulting in his death. That incident led to a product recall and a lawsuit against the company.

IDEX Biometrics Receives BCC Production Order

IDEX Biometrics has received a production order from Beautiful Card Corporation (BCC) following BCC’s receipt of a Letter of Approval from Mastercard, enabling the global issuance of BCC’s biometric payment cards built on the IDEX Pay platform. BCC, a smart card manufacturer producing 121 million payment cards annually, is incorporating IDEX Pay-based biometric smart cards into its eco-sustainable card solutions for Asia and global markets. Shellen Hsu, BCC’s Global Vice President of Sales and Business Development, emphasized the strategic collaboration with IDEX Biometrics to meet growing consumer demand for seamless and secure payment experiences. The development follows IDEX’s recent milestone in commercializing its biometric payment card solution, with production starting in South Asia.

FPC Aims to Wind Down Mobile Business with Egis Partnership

Fingerprint Cards (“Fingerprints”) has announced two new partnerships to expand its presence in the mobile and smart card markets. The first partnership, with Egis Technology, involves patent and technology licensing and conditional mobile asset acquisitions, allowing Egis to integrate Fingerprints’ mobile product lines and technology into its platform. This move will help wind down Fingerprints’ Mobile business and provide employment opportunities for its former Mobile-dedicated staff at Egis. The partnership aims to enhance Egis’ mobile technology and fingerprint recognition offerings while ensuring a smooth transition for Fingerprints’ existing Mobile customer base. Additionally, Fingerprints has partnered with Italy-based WiBioCard to integrate its biometric technology into WiBioCard’s smart card products for secure authentication and verification in various applications, including healthcare, ticketing, and loyalty services.

Significant Investment to Make Argentina a Worldcoin ‘Hub’ for LATAM Region

Worldcoin has announced plans to make Argentina a strategic hub for its operations in the Latin America region, involving significant direct investment to expand its presence and enhance access to its AI tools, including the biometric-based digital ID system, World ID. The expansion will include hiring at least 50 professionals such as developers, software engineers, and data analysts, and establishing 50 Worldcoin locations in over 10 cities, along with two “experience stores.” Currently, over a million Argentinians use the World App monthly, which was the most downloaded app in Argentina on both the App Store and Google Play earlier this year. Verified World ID holders can prove their humanity and uniqueness in various applications and gain access to WLD token grants, though token eligibility is geographically restricted.

Ontario Government Halts Digital ID Effort Amid Backlash from Base: Report

The government of Ontario has paused its digital ID initiative due to political concerns and backlash from its base. According to a report from the Toronto Star, an insider from the Progressive Conservative party revealed that the project is “now on the back burner” due to strong opposition from a significant portion of the party’s supporters. Originally announced in 2020, the digital ID was intended to allow Ontarians to store digital versions of their driver’s licenses and health cards in a mobile app. However, opposition to digital IDs grew during the pandemic, with the right-wing Ontario Party petitioning against the initiative in 2022. Yet the project’s halt has not been officially confirmed: Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement Minister Todd McCarthy’s office stated there is currently no update on the digital strategy. Meanwhile, Alberta, another conservative-led province, is progressing with its digital ID plans through a partnership with ATB Ventures using the Oliu digital ID platform.

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June 18, 2024 — by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala