Police Powers and Platform Upgrades

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

U.S., Qatar Agree to Share Biometric Data

During the sixth U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C., the U.S. and Qatar emphasized their longstanding partnership, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations. Key outcomes include amendments to the Defense Cooperation Agreement, and notably, the establishment of a Memorandum of Cooperation on biometric data-sharing aimed at enhancing law enforcement and counterterrorism efforts. This move signifies a deepened commitment to security collaboration between the two nations, leveraging biometric technologies to bolster their collective capabilities in combating terrorism and enhancing border security. The dialogue also covered a broad range of topics including economic ties, global humanitarian concerns, and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, showcasing the multifaceted nature of the U.S.-Qatar relationship.

Spanish Regulator Orders Halt to Worldcoin Activities

Spain’s data protection regulator, AEPD (“Agencia Española de Protección de Datos”) has ordered Worldcoin to halt its collection and use of personal data in the country. The demand stems from Worldcoin’s collection of iris biometrics when registering new users for its blockchain-based digital ID platform. Noting that biometric data has special protections under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the AEPD said it had to at least temporarily stop Worldcoin’s activities “to avoid potentially irreparable damage”.

Researchers Detail Gait Recognition System

Researchers with the Southern University of Science and Technology and Michigan State University have published a research paper on the development of a system called BigGait, which demonstrates significant advancements in gait recognition. By comparing BigGait with both silhouette-based methods and video-based ReID methods across various datasets, the research finds that BigGait outperforms existing models, particularly in challenging conditions with substantial clothing variations. The study also delves into the mechanisms behind BigGait’s performance, including its ability to extract robust gait patterns and reduce noise in gait representations, highlighting its effectiveness and efficiency in gait recognition tasks.

RealNetworks Faces Shareholder Lawsuit

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC has initiated a class action lawsuit against RealNetworks, Inc. and certain officers, on behalf of former minority shareholders. The lawsuit pertains to alleged federal securities law violations connected to the acquisition of RealNetworks by its Founder, Robert Glaser, and his investment entities. The complaint centers on the claim that the defendants issued a misleading proxy statement to shareholders, omitting or misrepresenting critical information regarding the company’s sales process, financial projections, and the analyses underpinning the fairness opinion provided by Houlihan Lokey. Among other things, RealNetworks is known for its Secure Accurate Facial Recognition (“SAFR”) facial recognition platform.

Russian Police Arrest Navalny Mourners

In Moscow, following the funeral of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, at least five individuals were detained, signaling an ongoing clampdown on his supporters by the Kremlin. Notably, Russian authorities are reported to have leveraged the city’s extensive surveillance network, including facial recognition technology, to identify attendees of the funeral. This advanced biometric technology was possibly utilized more effectively due to the installation of new surveillance cameras around the funeral’s locations. Despite a few detentions and the imposition of a minor fine on one attendee, the broader implications of using facial recognition for such purposes raise concerns about privacy and the suppression of dissent, with over 400 individuals reportedly detained across Russia in protests related to Navalny’s death.

San Francisco Voters Give Cops More Powers

San Francisco voters have approved Proposition E, a measure advocated by Mayor London Breed, which aims to broaden the powers of the city’s police force. Garnering 62.62 percent of the early vote, this initiative is part of Breed’s larger strategy to enhance public safety and reduce crime, particularly in relation to property offenses and drug dealing in public spaces. Prop E intends to grant the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) greater operational flexibility, including the use of face-scanning cameras in public places, the use of drones in chases and investigations, and the ability for officers to rely on body-worn camera footage instead of written reports for certain low-level use-of-force incidents.

Anonybit Upgrades Decentralized Biometric Platform

Anonybit has launched the next generation of its cloud-based biometric platform. The company’s “decentralized biometrics cloud” uses multi-party computation and zero-knowledge proofs to secure biometric data. More importantly, it “shards” biometric data into anonymized “bits”, which are then stored across a multi-party cloud environment. This means that there is no possibility of hackers acquiring usable biometric data through an attack against a centralized server. Anonybit says the platform’s upgrade has delivered greater scalability and more flexible deployment options for clients. Ado Technologies, an Anonybit partner based in Latin America, has deployed the system to a top tier banking group serving 14 million retail customers.

BioID Updates Deepfake Detection Tech

BioID, a prominent figure in biometric authentication solutions based in Nuremberg, Germany, has announced an update to its Deepfake Detection technology. BioID’s solution employs advanced artificial intelligence to differentiate between authentic images/videos and those manipulated by AI, ensuring the integrity of digital identity verification processes. The technology, integrated into BioID’s Liveness Detection API, enhances the platform’s ability to thwart spoofing attempts, combining Presentation Attack Detection with Deepfake Detection. The enhancement stands to benefit BioID’s global partners by bolstering their security measures against deepfakes.

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March 6, 2024 – by the FindBiometrics Editorial Team