Identity News Digest – May 8, 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:

Missouri House Passes Biometric Alcohol Purchase Bill

Missouri’s House of Representatives has passed HB 2599, a bill that introduces biometric methods such as facial recognition, palm, and iris scanning for age verification in alcohol purchases. Sponsored by Republican Representative Jeff Farnan, the legislation requires customers to first verify their identity using a government-issued ID through a designated vendor like CLEAR or Amazon. Once verified, customers can use biometric scans at participating retailers to purchase alcohol without needing to present their ID repeatedly. The bill, which passed with a vote of 86-53, mandates that retailers must still accept traditional IDs and does not require them to implement the biometric system. It’s now headed to the Senate.

Linate Airport Launches Biometric Boarding System for ‘Time-Obsessed’ Milanese

Milan’s Linate Airport has introduced the FaceBoarding system, which uses facial recognition technology designed to enhance the passenger experience by streamlining security and boarding processes. This system, which passengers can opt into voluntarily at airport kiosks or via a forthcoming mobile app, was developed through a collaboration between Società Esercizi Aeroportuali (SEA), technology providers, and Enac, Italy’s civil aviation authority. FaceBoarding has been integrated by airlines such as Ita Airways and SAS, allowing registered passengers to pass through security without presenting physical documents, thereby reducing queue times.

Investigation Into UCLA Campus Violence Could Involve Facial Recognition

The University of California is conducting an independent investigation into recent campus violence involving clashes between pro-Palestinian and counter-demonstrators—and it may use facial recognition technology to identify those involved. Retired LAPD captain Paul Vernon highlighted the technology’s potential to cross-reference a vast amount of image data with publicly available sources to pinpoint suspects. This approach, along with possible FBI involvement, could extend to verifying individual presences at the scene using cellphone data. Despite the technological capabilities, experts warn of legal complexities such as proving specific injuries and addressing potential self-defense claims.

South African Social Aid Agency Turns to FRT to Fight Fraud

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is implementing facial recognition technology to combat fraud within its Social Relief of Distress (SRD) program, which has been vulnerable due to its digital-only application process. The new system will verify identities of individuals flagged for potential irregularities or when they update critical personal details, like mobile numbers. Clients subject to additional verification will be prompted via SMS to submit a facial scan through a secure link. This step is crucial given recent increases in SRD grant amounts and the consequent rise in fraud risks. SASSA’s approach builds on its ongoing use of biometric technologies, including a multimodal biometric verification engine introduced in 2018 for grant cards.

Thai Project Collects Biometric Data of Myanmar Exiles

Thailand is piloting a biometric data collection initiative targeting Myanmar nationals and stateless individuals to improve the distribution of health services, including vaccinations for HPV and COVID-19. The program, a collaboration between Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center, and the Thai Red Cross Society, operates in five provinces and has enrolled 10,000 participants so far. Critics worry about potential data misuse and insufficient legal protections, given Thailand’s recent but criticized data privacy law. Despite assurances that the data will not be misused, fears persist about unauthorized access by both Thai and potentially Myanmar authorities.

IP, Wearables Partnerships Bring FPC Into New Market Territories

Fingerprint Cards (FPC) has announced two significant developments that expand its reach in the biometric and identity technology sectors. First, it has entered into its inaugural patent license agreement with a major global company, which will monetize FPC’s non-biometric intellectual property related to secure information aggregation. The partnership involves a company with a vast array of over 700 patents, looking to extend its licensing beyond biometrics. Secondly, FPC has partnered with Infrafon, a German startup specializing in biometric wearables, to develop biometric smart badges targeted at the European medical and IoT markets.

CyberLink Achieves ISO 27001:2022 Certification for FaceMe Platform

CyberLink has received ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for its FaceMe facial recognition platform, ensuring top-tier information security management. The certification covers all aspects of the platform’s development, management, and maintenance within CyberLink’s R&D department, implementing stringent security measures like encryption and firewalls. This accreditation reaffirms CyberLink’s commitment to data protection, enhancing the trust of partners and customers in the security and reliability of its facial recognition technology, and also complements CyberLink’s recent top performance in NIST’s facial recognition tests.

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May 8, 2024 – by Alex Perala and Tony Bitzionis