Biometrics

Bill Would Block Contractors from Selling Data Harvested with AI Tools to Third Parties

A bipartisan proposal would also clarify that the government ultimately owns the data collected by federal contractors and their artificial intelligence systems. 

  • By Alexandra Kelley

White House Wants to Know How Biometrics Like Facial Recognition Are Being Used

A request for comments is polling governments and the private sector on the full breadth of uses, whether it’s IDing faces or predicting malintent.

  • By Aaron Boyd

DOJ Seeks Congressional Funding to Implement Policy on Body-Worn Cameras

The announcement follows tensions with some local police departments over the authority to release footage recorded during joint operations.

  • By Mariam Baksh

The Taliban Reportedly Have Control of US Biometric Devices – a Lesson in Life-and-Death Consequences of Data Privacy

The Defense Department viewed “identity dominance” as the cornerstone of multiple counterterrorism strategies.

  • By Margaret Hu, The Conversation

Army Wants to Install Facial Recognition, Video Analytics at Child Development Centers

The branch plans to pilot a new facial recognition system at the daycare facility at Fort Jackson.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Facial Recognition Tech Use Increasing Among Federal Agencies

Use cases included criminal investigations, building security and access to digital assets like smartphones and security agency websites.

  • By Aaron Boyd

What One City Hopes to Learn by Pausing Use of Facial Recognition Technology

A ban in Baltimore would restrict the city from purchasing facial recognition technology and temporarily restrict use by city agencies, residents and businesses (but not the police).

  • By Andrea Noble

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
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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