Noteworthy Appointments and a Digital Transformation ‘Fiasco’: 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:

Socure Names Government Affairs Director

Socure has named Jennifer Kerber as its new Senior Director of Government Affairs, explaining that she will work with policymakers and government stakeholders to advance the responsible use of digital identity technologies. Kerber served as the Director of the Connect.Gov Program in the Government Services Administration’s Office of Citizen Services & Innovative Technology from June of 2014 to December of 2015. She comes to Socure from the Washington, DC-based consultancy Guidehouse. “In the wake of the Administration’s National Cybersecurity Strategy and pandemic anti-fraud measures, there couldn’t be a more exciting time to join the market leader in identity verification,” Kerber said.

SenseTime to Host ‘Technology Discussion Day’

Controversial China-based facial recognition company SenseTime has organized a ‘technology discussion day’ in Shanghai on Monday, according to a Reuters report. The company has not said what kinds of technologies would be highlighted at the event, but in a recent earnings call, SenseTime said it was working on an AI chatbot that it hoped to launch in the middle of this year. SenseTime is one of multiple AI and facial recognition vendors that have been blacklisted by the United States over alleged involvement in human rights abuses on the part of the Chinese government.

Québec Halts Facial Recognition Plans Amid Digital Transformation Fiasco

The Transport Minister of Québec, Geneviève Guilbault, has ordered that a facial recognition project be put on hold in the wake of a chaotic rollout of a new public service website, part of a digital transformation effort. The plan had been for the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec’s (SAAQ) to implement facial recognition in a bid to fight fraud, but it has now fallen into the shadow of the SAAQclic website “fiasco”, in the words of the cybersecurity and digital technology minister overseeing the project. Addressing reporters, Minister Guilbault said, “For the moment I think we have our hands full with SAAQclic and company.”

Vimeo Reaches $2.25M BIPA Settlement

Video streaming platform Vimeo has reached a $2.25 million settlement in a class action lawsuit concerning its Magisto video editing app. The lawsuit alleged that Vimeo violated Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by collecting face biometrics data from photos and videos uploaded through Magisto. Vimeo has not admitted wrongdoing. Its settlement is expected to pay out about $77.53 to eligible claimants.

Singapore Launches Mobile ID for Taxi, Bus Drivers

Singapore’s Land Transport Authority has launched a mobile-based digital license for bus and taxi drivers in the country. The mobile ID can be added to Singpass, the country’s digital identity app, which leverages facial recognition to authenticate end users. The digital licenses will be accepted as official identification for entry into areas such as Changi Airport, which itself has been the site of digital and biometric innovation through its implementation of sophisticated passenger processing systems. Singapore also recently say the launch a face-based visitor screening system at the Outram Community Hospital and SingHealth Tower, also based on the SingPass.

Apple Patent Covers HomePod Facial Recognition

Apple has been granted a patent concerning the use of facial recognition in the HomePod, the tech giant’s flagship smart speaker device. The patent reportedly describes an embedded camera system that would not only recognize an individual user’s face, but also track their gaze to better understand commands such as “Turn on that light.” The HomePod already supports voice recognition, thanks to a 2019 update enabling it to identify individual speakers. And Apple has previously filed other patents involving the use of facial recognition in its smart speakers, with the latest patent grant highlighting its ongoing interest in the possibility.

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April 6, 2023 – by Alex Perala

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