New Zealand
The New Zealand government is using Google Analytics in an online Identity Check system it is introducing.
Google Analytics has been criticised by European regulators over ending people’s data to the US for processing. Google told RNZ it acknowledged “that data transfers between the EU and US do lack legal stability”.
New Zealand is reportedly looking at possible privacy law changes to retain favoured status regards the core European GDPR.
Google told RNZ its analytics tools already safeguarded people’s personal data.
“Organisations, not Google, control what data is collected with these tools, and how it is used.”
Its contract to analyse the website traffic on Identity Check would be used to help bill people, a privacy impact assessment by Internal Affairs said.
“The information contained within Google Analytics 360 will not be disclosed in a form that allows identification of an individual,” it said.
United Kingdom / European Union
Instagram has introduced technology to help verify the age of users in the UK and EU.
Anyone trying to edit their date of birth from that of an under-18 to that of an over-18 must verify their age.
But now, users have the option to record a video of themselves that will be analysed by age-estimation technology, instead of uploading ID.
Instagram said this would help ensure users’ experiences on the platform were age appropriate.
In June, Instagram announced it was exploring ways for teenagers to verify their age and comply with platform rules. In a US trial, they were given three ways to verify they were over 18: upload ID, ask three adult users to vouch for them or take a video selfie.
Instagram says it already uses artificial intelligence and in-app reports to help determine whether users are under 18 and, indeed, under 13, its minimum age.
But according to research commissioned by UK media regulator Ofcom, one in three children lies about their age to access adult content on social media.
United Kingdom
UK-based Shufti Pro says since its $20 million series A funding earlier in 2022, the company’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) grew 57 percent between June 2021 and 2022. This is its 5th year of consecutive growth. In addition, the company saw a 35 percent increase in new customers worldwide, and new office openings in Boston, London, Sweden and Dubai to support global growth.
Employee numbers have increases by 70 percent over the past 12 months, with a number of key leadership hires.
Canada
Privacy regulators across Canada have called on their respective governments and relevant stakeholders to ensure that rights to privacy and transparency are “fully respected” in the design, operation, and evolution of a digital identity ecosystem in the country.
In their resolution, federal, provincial, and territorial privacy commissioners noted that the digital identity ecosystem emerging in Canada and around the world would allow individuals, businesses, and governments to confirm identities and carry out transactions online with a high degree of efficiency and confidence. However, they stressed that while a secure digital identity offers many benefits, it must be designed and adopted to uphold privacy, security, transparency, and accountability.
The commissioners set out a non-exhaustive list of conditions to include in designing and operating a digital identity ecosystem. In particular, they require that a privacy impact assessment be conducted and provided to the oversight body in the early design, development, and update stages of a digital identity system as the project and solution evolve.
European Union
The European Union is preparing to go live with its European Digital Identity Wallet in 2024, enabling all EU citizens to store digital identity credentials including their national ID, driving licence, and qualification and bank account details, according to EU sources.
The EU aims to publish technical specifications and common standards for the wallet being developed with member states and private-sector stakeholders by the end of 2022 before beginning large-scale pilot projects and completing the legislative process required next year.
“The legislative process could be completed by next spring, setting the stage for the wallet to go live in 2024,” Romana Jerkovic, MEP and member of the EU’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), told Raconteur.
“Under the plan, EU member states will have 12 months to issue their wallets once the regulation is adopted.”
“On the legislative front, an initial vote on the revised eIDAS regulation in the ITRE Committee is also expected before the end of the year, after which informal negotiations can begin among representatives of the Commission, the Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the proposal,” Raconteur adds.
Bhutan
The government of Bhutan says its national digital ID project is 77 percent complete, and that includes the collection of biometric information. Almost 500,000 citizens are enrolled, according to figures quoted by online news publisher Kuensel via Biometric Update.
United States
California is piloting a digital ID project, according to the state government. Workers are testing technology platforms within multiple agencies. The goal is to see if citizen use and system cost savings can be achieved by using digital IDs.
The state also has piloted the federal digital ID program Login.gov with three public transit agencies. More details on one of those efforts can be found on GitHub.
A report, which officials call a market-sounding survey has been published. It lists anticipated benefits, challenges and roles for public and private sectors.
South Korea
The three mobile carriers in South Korea have committed to launching this week an ID verification service that would obviate physical identification cards.
The service is expected to be part of PASS mobile authentication app owned by SK Telecom, KT Corp. and LG Uplus. The government has its own mobile authentication app.
PASS has 36 million subscribers, according to the news report, and 4.7 million citizens have a digital driver’s licence on it.
Belgium
According to The Brussels Times, myID.be is active and enabling citizens to access government and private sector services more easily online.
U2U Consult wrote myID.be, available on phones and tablets. To enrol, people swipe their ID card, scan a QR code and enter a PIN.
