Mergers, Acquisitions, and Regulatory Developments: Identity News Digest

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

Regulatory Developments

The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has published a draft proposal of rules for the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), which now includes a definition of biometric data with respect to the CPA’s requirement that controllers obtain consent for the collection of biometric data. Along with the proposed rules, the Office has announced three stakeholder meeting dates – for November 10, 15, and 17 – as well as a public hearing on February 1, 2023.

Canada’s Privacy Commissioner is refusing to offer his opinion regarding a proposed federal privacy bill, saying he wants to wait until Parliament debates the legislation before giving his two cents. Bill C-27 includes the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act and the Consumer Privacy Protection Act, and is aimed at updating the incumbent Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (or “PIPEDA”). But a previous effort to update the country’s digital privacy rules had failed amid criticism from the previous Privacy Commissioner, with the government having been unable to get substantial backing from lawmakers. The House Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics has not yet set any dates for hearings on the matter.

NIST Guidelines

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is planning to launch an online resource for support documents and guides concerning trustworthy AI systems, as a complement to its forthcoming Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework. IT Laboratory Chief of Staff Elham Tabassi told Congress last week that the agency is on track to publish its AI Risk Management Framework in January of next year; the NIST maintains an open call for comment from third party stakeholders.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Private investment firm Enlightenment Capital has acquired PrintScan, a New York-based fingerprinting and identity management specialist, and appears to be spinning its assets into a newly-minted company called “Infinite ID,” which the firm characterized as “an identity software and biometric solutions provider to federal, state and local government agencies in support of validation and background checks.” The firm announced its maneuvers alongside a separate investment into Laxton Group, with Enlightenment Capital VP Thomas Young explaining that “Laxton and Infinite ID fit squarely in Enlightenment’s effort to support businesses that provide critical and high-reliability solutions to promote security, protect organizational missions, and empower government and commercial clients.”

Executive Appointments

BagsID has named Richard Camman, a former Vision-Box executive, as its new Chief Commercial Officer. The company offers an AI system that is designed to recognize individual packages of luggage as they are processed through an airport. The appointment of Camman, who had served as Vision-Box’s VP of Business Innovation since 2016, suggests a potential pivot to biometric technology for BagsID. “Having been at the heart of the biometrics and the Seamless Passenger Journey within the aviation industry, I’m honored to join the team,” commented Camman.

Fiscal Updates

Daon UK’s revenues were up nearly 70 percent last year as its costs rose by more than half, according to a report from The Irish Times. The figures come from the subsidiary’s financial filings, offering a glimpse at Daon’s overall business momentum; the overarching company, Daon, is registered in Ireland, and is not obligated to provide public financial statements.

Product Launches

Alberta-based ATB Ventures has launched a digital identity platform based on blockchain technology. The Oliu system was built on W3C standards and designed to leverage identity frameworks like the PAN-Canadian Trust Framework. The platform also include Proof, a mobile-based digital wallet that is designed to support digital identity credentials.

Blockchain and Digital ID

State legislation has cleared the way forward for the establishment of blockchain-based birth, death, and marriage certificates in California. The bill was proposed by Senator Robert Hertzberg, who told the Senate that blockchain technology offers “a faster, cheaper, and more efficient delivery method, saving Californians both time and money,” adding that “it is also much more secure as blockchain is nearly impossible to hack.” Read the full story on Mobile ID World.

Biometric Surveillance

A freedom of information request filed by the Scottish Lib Dems has revealed that 13 councils – county-like government subdivisions – are using surveillance cameras from China-based facial recognition specialist Hikvision. The revelation comes after the United Kingdom’s Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner encouraged the government to ban Hikvision earlier this year, which was followed by calls for bans on Hikvision technology from a number of MPs and Lords.

Russia’s largest telecommunications company, Rostelecom, has co-founded a “National Center of Biometric Technologies”, according to a report from Telecompaper. Rostelecom will hold a 49 percent stake in the venture, with the Agency for State Property Management holding 26 percent and the Central Bank of Russia holding 25 percent. Rostelecom manages the country’s Unified Biometric System, under the supervision of the Communications Ministry and the Central Bank. Earlier this year, the Russian government demanded that several major banks share their customers’ biometric data with the government’s Unified Biometrics System.

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October 3, 2022 – by Alex Perala

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