Biometrics

Bipartisan Calls to Regulate Facial Recognition Tech Grow Louder

Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have concerns about increased use of biometric technology.

  • By Frank Konkel

Bill Would Ban Facial Recognition in Public Housing

The proposal would also direct the Housing and Urban Development Department to conduct a comprehensive report on how the tech is used, why and its impact on tenants. 

  • By Frank Konkel

Watchdog: 10 Government Agencies Deployed Clearview AI Facial Recognition Tech

A Government Accountability Office report details how agencies used different versions of the biometric technology during the pandemic and protests.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Coast Guard Starts Process of Upgrading Its Biometrics At Sea System

The BASS system enables officers to collect biometrics from detainees at sea and match that information against the Homeland Security database.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Lawmakers Renew Effort to Ban Federal Agencies from Using Facial Recognition Tech

The reintroduced bill would prohibit agencies from using biometric tech and block federal funds for biometric surveillance systems.

  • By Mila Jasper

Baltimore Latest City to Consider Banning Facial Recognition Technology

The Maryland city joins several other localities that have banned or are assessing the controversial technology, or are limiting its scope and use.

  • By Brent Woodie

DHS Faces Rising Costs as Planned Biometrics Cloud Gets Pushed Back

Three years behind schedule, the move from legacy IDENT to the new Amazon-hosted HART system is now slated for the end of 2021.

  • By Aaron Boyd

DHS Plans Next Rally to Advance Facial Recognition Tech

Modern systems are getting good at verifying people who are wearing face masks—and DHS wants to make them better.

  • By Brandi Vincent

DHS Drops Proposal to Expand Immigration-Related Biometrics Collection

The Biden administration withdrew the controversial rule, which garnered more than 5,000 comments when it was proposed last fall.

  • By Mila Jasper

Human Rights Organizations Call for Corporate Ban on Facial Recognition Tech

The organizations called facial recognition "inherently discriminatory and dangerous."

  • By Frank Konkel

Army Wants to Automate Base Access With Facial Recognition at Drive-Thru Checkpoints

The proposed system uses a reliable form of facial biometric identification but would need to control for variables like weather and low light.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Advocacy Groups Again Ask CBP to Withdraw Biometrics Expansion Proposal

Customs and Border Protection accepted a second round of comments after the change in administrations. 

  • By Mila Jasper

Army Outfits Paratroopers with Wearables to Gauge Stress 

It’s all part of collaborative research leveraging military-centered, biometric data.

  • By Brandi Vincent

A State Becomes the First to Suspend Facial Recognition Technology in Schools

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said there are “serious and legitimate privacy concerns” with the technology—but only prohibited its use until 2022.

  • By Emma Coleman
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CBP Should Halt Expansion of the Biometric Entry-Exit Program, Many Commenters Write

Advocacy groups and the City of Portland wrote the Homeland Security Department urging a full stop on expanding the use of facial recognition technologies. 

  • By Mila Jasper

DHS Works to Improve Biometric Scanning of Masked Faces

Almost 600 human volunteers participated in a recent technology evaluation.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Biometrics in Action

Federal agencies ramped up the use and scope of facial recognition tools in 2020, expanding programs to target more people and making significant technology upgrades.

  • By Nextgov Staff

Intel Agencies Seek to Perfect Biometric Recognition from Drones

Intelligence and military researchers want to merge facial recognition with other biometric methods to identify people from long distances and steep angles

  • By Aaron Boyd

Pentagon Clarifies Biometrics Database Can Move to Any Secure Cloud, Not Just AWS

While the performance work statement namechecks a specific cloud provider and product, a subsequent amendment and Q&A clarify the Pentagon’s true intent.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Lawmakers, Experts Split on CBP's Proposed Biometric System Advancement

Some experts see Customs and Border Protection’s proposed rulemaking expanding biometric entry-exit as the culmination of more than a decade of careful work. Others say the technology poses privacy concerns.

  • By Mila Jasper

CBP Proposes Eliminating Age Restrictions and Opt-Out Policies for Non-Citizen Biometric Data Collection

The new rule enables Customs and Border Protection to expand its biometric entry-exit program and changes other regulations along the way.

  • By Mila Jasper