Worldcoin, Metalenz, and Concern Over Cops

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

Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Flags Vast Biometrics Collections in Police Records

A report presented to the Scottish Parliament has raised concerns about the management and use of biometric data, specifically the vast number of images held by Police Scotland, estimated to be at least three million. Biometrics Commissioner Brian Plastow, the author of the report, highlighted significant governance challenges due to the unknown total volumes of biometric images held by Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). The report also pointed out the lack of public information provided when biometric data is collected and called for enhanced transparency and accountability to prevent the potential erosion of public confidence in the police’s use of biometric data.

Irish Justice Minister Wants Expanded Role for FRT

Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee is expanding the use of facial recognition technology to investigate attacks on Garda (Irish police) members amid ongoing debate about the technology’s human rights implications and potential inaccuracies. McEntee argues that FRT will improve efficiency by allowing Gardaí to quickly analyze hours of video footage. Civil rights groups have criticized the move as a step towards a surveillance state. The Minister also addressed calls to increase the Garda force’s size from 14,000 to 18,000, expressing support for future growth.

Balochistan to Pilot Biometric Attendance in Schools

The Balochistan government in Pakistan announced a crackdown on absentee teachers this week, leading to over 2,000 dismissals. Going forward, the government will be implementing a pilot program for biometric attendance systems in schools that will be relied upon to make the school systems more efficient and functional. This aims to address the issue of non-functional schools, some caused by teacher absences and others by unauthorized occupation of school buildings. Despite significant spending on education, the province faces challenges like a teacher shortage and a high number of out-of-school children.

Uber Eats Driver Wins Human Rights Complaint Over Biometric Verification Failures

A Black Uber Eats driver in the UK has won a payout in court after facial recognition software repeatedly failed to recognize him, leading to his account being deactivated. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) funded his case, arguing that the technology discriminated against ethnic minorities. Uber Eats says the facial recognition is for safety and includes human review, but the EHRC criticized the lack of transparency in the process.

Portugal Halts Worldcoin Activities

Portugal’s data protection authority, CNPD, has issued a 90-day stop order on the Worldcoin project due to concerns over biometric data collection. Worldcoin, which offers a digital ID and free cryptocurrency in exchange for iris scans, has now enrolled over 4.5 million people globally. The CNPD’s decision follows complaints about unauthorized data collection from minors, insufficient information provided to participants, and difficulties in data deletion or consent withdrawal. Worldcoin’s data protection officer asserts compliance with legal standards, emphasizing new measures to enhance user control over their data. The temporary suspension allows the CNPD to conduct further investigations into these complaints.

Metalenz Names VP of Operations

Metalenz has named Mari-Anne Gagliardi as its VP of Operations. The Boston-based firm has been getting considerable attention for its Polar ID solution, a facial recognition system that can scan a human face using the full polarization of light. In a LinkedIn post announcing Gagliardi’s appointment, Metalenz emphasized her experience “building successful semiconductor optoelectronics supply chains, both captive fab and fabless, for new technologies and materials”. Gagliardi comes to the company from Qorvo Power, where she served as Director of Operations for Qorvo Power Device Solutions after its 2021 acquisition of United Silicon Carbide, where she had been VP of Operations.

Attain Insight Launches Anonymization Tool

Attain Insight, a data security and analytics company, has launched a new addition to its Identity Resolution Platform called Attain Insight Intrinsic. The technology allows organizations to remove personally identifiable information (PII) from biometric data, including facial recognition data, without hindering its ability to be accurately matched. This solves a major problem for organizations that want to leverage the benefits of facial recognition for fraud detection and crime prevention while also adhering to strict privacy regulations. Attain Insight claims the technology can also be used to secure other types of identity data including cell phone, driver’s license, and social security information.

Keyless Teams With Fidentity

Keyless has formed a strategic partnership with fidentity, a Swiss pioneer in online identification and digital signature services. Their collaboration is meant to enhance fidentity’s offerings by integrating continuous authentication throughout the identity lifecycle, leveraging Keyless’ multi-factor technology. The partnership aims to address the growing concerns of identity theft and fraud in the digital age by combining Keyless’ Zero-Knowledge Biometrics (ZKB) technology, which ensures biometric data is not stored, with fidentity’s identity verification systems. Keyless co-founder Fabian Eberle recently spoke with FindBiometrics about his firm’s unique technological approach.

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March 26, 2024 – by Alex Perala and Tony Bitzionis