Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:
UK Charts Course for Digital ID Legislation
The United Kingdom government has concluded the results of a wide-ranging consultation on digital identity polices, and is now offering clear signals about where its official policies are headed. In an executive summary, government officials explained that their consultation found support for a system that would let certified “trust-marked” organizations check the identity data of individuals against government databases, and support for the idea of making digital ID as legally valid for identity verification as traditional, physical ID. The government said it intends to introduce legislation on these topics “when parliamentary time allows”.
Canadian Lumber Company Beats Biometric Privacy Complaint
A Canadian lumber products company has prevailed in a dispute with union workers over its use of a biometric time and attendance tracking system that it began rolling out in June of last year. The United Steelworkers filed a complaint under British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act, and the matter went to arbitration. Canfor’s use of a fingerprint-scanning system was found by the arbitrator to be “reasonable and authorized” under the privacy legislation, though the company was cautioned to consider granting individual exemptions to workers who object to the system.
NEC Trials Biometric Vaccination Management in Kenya
Japan’s NEC is working with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) to trial a biometric vaccination records system for children. The system collects the fingerprints of newborn children, and uses voice recognition to identify caregivers, with the aim of producing an effective vaccination history and scheduling platform. A clinical trial got underway in September at the Kinango Sub-County Hospital in Kwale, and NEC and KEMRI are aiming for “full-scale introduction throughout Kenya” by the end of this year.
DHS Grants Digital Identity Contract to Dignari
Washington, D.C.-based Dignari has been awarded a $23.5 million contract to provide “Identity, Credential, and Access Management – Digital Identity (ICAM-DI) professional services” to the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration. The contract’s estimated value pertains to a one-year base period as well as three one-year extension options. Dignari, which describes itself as a provider of “program strategy, emerging technology, human-centered design, and data analytics solutions”, previously won a five-year Blanket Purchase Agreement from the DHS in 2021.
FaceTec Revenue Surge Continues
FaceTec saw year-over-year revenue growth of 104 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, the company has revealed. The figure underscores the remarkable popularity of FaceTec’s biometric identity verification platform, which revolves around the use of 3D face matching and liveness technology. Q4 also saw FaceTec establish a dozen new commercial agreements, and brought a 94 percent jump in the use of its 3D Liveness Check solution. In a statement, CEO Kevin Alan Tussy said that the company is now “extremely profitable”, and expressed optimism about what 2023 will bring. “So far, this year’s performance looks like it will far exceed 2022’s,” he said.
Online Gaming Operator Turns to Jumio for KYC
Jumio is now providing end-to-end identity proofing services for Sisal, an Italy-based online gambling operator. Jumio’s biometric solution is being used to onboarding players, and authenticating them when they request payouts on their winnings. The companies say that Jumio’s solution has cut the time needed for identity verification by 80 percent – a huge KYC efficiency for Sisal, which operates across Italy, Morocco, and Turkey.
Bitwarden Becomes FIDO Sponsor
Bitwarden has become a sponsor-level member of the FIDO Alliance. In a statement, the company explained that in its elevated partnership with the passwordless authentication group, it “will further its involvement and influence in shaping the future of FIDO specifications.” The move comes shortly after Bitwarden’s acquisition of Passwordless.dev, the developer of an open source password manager tool, last month.
WaveLynx Integrates iOS Employee Badge Support
Access control specialist WaveLynx has integrated support for virtual employee credentials in the Apple Wallet. For clients that opt to enable this functionality, the development means that their employees can simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch to a WaveLynx reader in order to be verified for access, so long as they have an authorized employee badge loaded on the app. The system also supports an “Express Mode” that doesn’t even require the end user to wake their device.
Iowa Delays Mobile Driver’s License
Iowa’s mobile ID app has been delayed by the state’s Department of Transportation. An initial version of a mobile ID solution for the state was completed by IDEMIA in 2021, and a public launch was planned for last year. But Toni Smith, the DOT official who has been overseeing the program, says that new national and international security standards have prompted the delay. Speaking to local news outlet KCCI News, Smith insisted that the mobile app is still “the most secure way to carry your ID.”
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February 7, 2023 – by Alex Perala
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