Tech Trouble in the UK – 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:

EES Support App May Not Arrive in Time: Report

An app meant to help streamline the travel process in the wake of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) may not arrive on time, according to a Politico report. The EES is set to launch in the fall, and is causing concern among cross-channel transport operators due to potential delays and disruption, particularly for UK-EU travel and trade. It will require non-EU travelers, including those from the UK, to provide biometric data such as fingerprints and facial scans at EU borders. This is expected to exacerbate queues at travel hubs, notably because of the UK’s “juxtaposed controls,” where EU border checks occur on UK soil. To mitigate these issues, an app is being developed to allow travelers to pre-register their details. But there are significant doubts about its readiness by the EES launch date, with expectations of full deployment not until the summer of 2025. Then again, the EES itself has been delayed multiple times.

UK Immigration Database Suffers From ‘Merged Identities’

The Home Office’s immigration database, central to the UK’s visa and immigration systems, has been revealed to have significant flaws, impacting over 76,000 people with incorrect personal and biometric details. The issue, described as “merged identities,” means that the biographic and biometric details of different individuals have been inaccurately linked, leading to severe personal and administrative complications. Despite attempts to improve data accuracy, internal documents obtained by The Guardian suggest that the problem has worsened, with changes implemented in January further complicating records. The failures of the Person Centric Data Platform (PCDP), which feeds into the Atlas system used by border and immigration officials, have drawn criticism and comparisons to the Windrush scandal, highlighting significant concerns about data management and the impact on individuals’ lives.

New TSA Biometric Policy Provokes Confusion

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has implemented a new policy requiring migrants without passports to submit to facial recognition-based verification in order to board domestic flights. This change is designed to verify the identities of migrants using Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records and has caused concern among advocacy groups and some migrants who were initially denied boarding. It remains unclear precisely when the policy took effect, and how it will affect migrants who were previously able to fly using Border Patrol-issued documentation. As the AP reports, the policy shift has caught both migrants and support organizations by surprise.

Canada’s Digital ID Coalition Certifies ATB Ventures’ Oliu

ATB Ventures has announced that Oliu, its digital identity verification platform, has become the first Canadian organization to get certification from the Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC), an organization that sets standards and certifies digital identity and authentication solutions to ensure security, privacy, and interoperability within the Canadian digital economy. Oliu successfully completed DIACC’s third-party conformity assessment for the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) Privacy Component, highlighting the platform’s commitment to rigorous security standards and user privacy. DIACC’s certification indicates that Oliu can be trusted for secure and reliable digital identity services, potentially paving the way for its use in applications that could incorporate biometric authentication. Read the full story on Mobile ID World.

World Bank Supports Biometric Attendance Plan for Karachi

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is using biometric technology to tackle “ghost employees” who are collecting salaries without actually working. A project funded by the World Bank identified nearly 1,200 ghost employees across the KMC and various Karachi towns, who were either not showing up for work, or holding multiple government jobs simultaneously. In an effort to combat this, a plan has been devised in which the World Bank-funded Competitive and Liveable City of Karachi (CLICK) initiative would seek to implement a biometric attendance system that will link salary payments to verified attendance, ensuring employees are physically present to receive their pay.

Bahrain Gets Instant SIM Activation

Stc Bahrain, a major telecom in the country, has launched an instant mobile SIM activation service, using facial recognition technology in collaboration with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). By simply taking a live photo with a smartphone camera for identity verification, customers can activate their eSIMs instantly without the need for physical documentation or traditional, lengthy verification processes. The move positions Stc Bahrain as the first telecom operator in the region to implement AI facial recognition for SIM activation.

Biometric e-Gates Streamline Bali Arrivals

Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia, has implemented automated immigration gates to expedite the entry process for Singaporean visitors. Using biometric technology, the gates are reportedly able to verify travelers and complete immigration checks in 15 to 25 seconds. The new biometric check-in – which is also available for Singaporeans visiting other locations such as Malaysia, Taiwan, and Britain –  requires travelers to have a biometric passport and to pre-register online.

After Latest Wearable Test, Movano Plans to Apply for FDA Approval

Movano Health, a health technology company, has completed a new clinical trial with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) validating the accuracy of its Evie Ring wearable. The Evie Ring is designed to measure blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and other health metrics. The latest trial builds on a previous assessment, and confirms that the Evie Ring meets FDA requirements for SpO2 accuracy, achieving an error rate below 3.5 percent. Movano Health plans to submit this data to the FDA in April 2024 to support their application for clearance of the Evie Ring as a medical device. If successful, the Evie Ring would be classified as both a consumer wellness device and a medical device.

–

March 15, 2024 – by Alex Perala and Tony Bitzionis