United Kingdom
The GOV.UK One Login system will seek to minimise the amount of detail collected about users while giving them control over how this information is used, according to the Government Digital Service (GDS). It will also offer independent dispute resolution via the UK’s data watchdog.
The GDS has published two new policy documents. One sets out nine principles to guide and regulate how identity verification is used in government services. Another outlines how One Login in particular will meet these standards.
The nine principles are:
- user control
- transparency
- multiplicity
- data minimisation
- data quality
- service user access and portability
- certification
- dispute resolution
- exceptional circumstances
The principles, which are accompanied by advice for how they should be applied in practice, were created by a group of independent advisors and will be monitored going forward by the dedicated One Login Inclusion and Privacy Advisory Group.
Australia
Commonwealth Bank’s venture-scaler, x15ventures, is testing an Australian-first digital protection tool called Truyu, which alerts people the moment their identity is being used – or misused – online at major merchants.
Truyu alerts users in real-time when their name, date of birth and driving licence or passport details are used online at major Australian merchants, asking them to confirm via the app whether it was a legitimate use of those credentials.
In the event of identity misuse, Truyu provides helpful links and remediation prompts to help customers secure their information as efficiently as possible and avoid additional harm or loss.
To receive ID usage alerts, users need to be aged 18 or more and have a valid Australian driver’s licence or Australian Passport.
United States
A US government organisation has published guidance on the use of live facial recognition, suggesting that the technology can effectively protect people without violating their rights or privacy laws, reports Biometric Update.
The OSAC (Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science) Technical Guidance Document was published in January, and is hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The document describes ‘privacy-by-design’ features that should be implemented in support of maintaining people’s anonymity,”. This is possible to do today, the paper argues, citing reports from The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, The Biometrics Institute, the UK’s Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Office and a framework written for UK police.
The guidance includes advice on key performance metrics for system accuracy and recommendations for successful implementation of live facial recognition.
United States
Kairos has launched a modular AI algorithm suite for digital identity verification for organisations to “instantly and accurately” verify the identity, age, and liveness of their online customers, drivers, riders, and guests around the world.
Kairos reportedly enables self-serve access to “diversity-centric and unbiased” AI for face recognition, liveness, and ID document checks via API and manual web interface so anyone can meet KYC requirements, follow age restrictions, deter fraudsters and keep spam and gen AI bot accounts off their platform.
Nigeria
A Nigerian startup providing digital identity solutions, Seamfix, has secured $4.5 million to fund the expansion of its digital ID and credential services.
The private equity funding round was secured from, Alitheia IDF, a gender lens investing fund. According to a statement from the company, the funding would also enable Seamfix to scale the technology infrastructure that underpins its solutions, improve data flow crucial for continental trade and integration, and kickstart the expansion of its digital ID and credential services into five new African countries.
Starting in Nigeria, Seamfix provides identity creation, verification, and transaction accreditation solutions for large organisations and government agencies across multiple African countries. The company said new funding represents its first institutional investment, and it would enable the company to expand its services to Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Uganda.
Scotland
The Vouchsafe project for digital identities in Scottish public services has moved into its beta phase with the team beginning to explain its operation to the public, reports UK Authority.
The project is being developed by the company of the same name with the Scottish Government Digital Identity Service to provide a social vouching element for proving an identity. This involves one person with a verified identity vouching for another to establish their digital identity, rather than relying on a document such as a passport or driving licence.
Following the launch of the project in January, Vouchsafe has published a newsletter, stating that the service is available and can be used by the one in five people without access to the basic forms of ID.
United Kingdom
UK regulator Ofcom is cracking down on Instagram, YouTube and 150,000 other web services to improve child safety online. A new Children’s Safety Code will push tech firms to run better age checks, filter and downrank content, and apply around 40 other steps to assess harmful content, to reduce under-18’s access to it.
The guidance puts a focus on stronger age verification. Photo-ID matching, facial age estimation and reusable digital identity services are in; self-declaration of age and contractual restrictions on the use of services by children are out.
United States
Fime has been acquired by US-based private equity firm Gallant Capital Partners, along with the payments testing business of UL Solutions, and the two will be merged into a biometrics and digital ID consulting and testing giant under the Fime brand.
The combined entity will focus on consulting and testing for payments, smart mobility and digital ID, according to a company announcement.
United Kingdom
TISA has launched Select ID, a Digital ID scheme and marketplace. The launch is backed by a number of financial and technological institutions including Barclays, Visa and Northern Trust. Select ID enables consumers to securely identify themselves to UK financial institutions with their choice of a reusable, secure Digital ID.
Select ID is open to all financial service firms and digital identity providers. TISA said a range of providers of re-usable Digital ID services will be available to provide consumer choice and ensure financial inclusion. This will include consumers who do not have ID documents, such as passports or driving licences.
Kenya
Thirteen million Kenyans have already obtained the new generation Maisha Namba digital ID, according to Principal Secertary for Immigration and Citizen Services, Julius Bitok
The country’s Interior Secretary has also said that biometric passports will be processed in just one week as from August 1.
Bitok said that so far, between 20,000 and 30,000 Maisha Namba digital IDs are issued on a daily basis, and that the target is to serve 32 million Kenyans in the next two years.
Rwanda
The Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT) has explained the delays and new plans set for issuing the anticipated digital Rwanda national identity card.
The national target was for at least 60 percent of Rwandans to have the digital identity cards by 2023. However the ministry says that this was delayed for many reasons, with none has been issued to date.
Yves Iradukunda, the permanent secretary MINICT, said the main obstacle was the need to have a law backing the program and since it was approved, activities to commence implementation are underway.
Rwandan lawmakers have received updates that bidding has been opened to select a contractor for the development of the country’s single digital ID core and support modules.
Peru
Employees at the Peruvian national identification registry, which issues the country’s digital IDs, have gone on strike.
Workers of the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Registro Nacional de Identificación y Estado Civil, RENIEC) suspended the service to citizens, demanding that the government not extend the employment of the current head of the institution Carmen Milagros Velarde Koechlin.
RENIEC employees said the institution has been marred by irregularities and labour violations under her administration, news outlet Huanca York Times reports, via Biometric Update.
One accusation by striking employees is that the institution has failed to introduce a proper regulatory framework and procedure for death certificates, “affecting the legal certainty of citizens and resulting in the registration of false deaths.” The institution is in charge of maintaining the records of births, marriages, divorces and deaths in Peru.
RENIEC employees also say that citizens have been experiencing difficulty accessing services in cities such as Junin because of frequent system crashes and the lack of maintenance and personnel.
In April, the local business association Afin (Association for the Promotion of National Infrastructure) decried the “constant failures” in RENIC’s biometric verification service.
Bahrain
Bahrain has a signed an agreement with Thales to revamp the country’s ID card system.
The government is looking to advance digital transformation and government services, including ID card services to expedite processes and facilitate data exchange among government entities.
The agreement will see comprehensive changes to ID card printing systems. In addition to improving the design and quality of ID cards, premium features such as biometric and security features will reportedly be enhanced.
