Apple addresses Senator’s privacy and security concerns regarding Face ID

Senator Al Franken expressed his appreciation to Apple for addressing his privacy and security concerns over the company’s Face ID facial recognition technology, which will be available in the upcoming iPhone X, according to a report by CNet.

Franken had previously sent Apple a letter following the company’s announcement of the iPhone X, which raised concerns about whether the company could protect people’s privacy.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller has said the company used more than 1 billion photos to train the company’s facial recognition algorithm.

In late September, Apple published a whitepaper that addresses many of the same questions Franken was asking, such as how much of your face’s image Apple actually retains, the duration of time it saves the image and what apps can use Face ID.

In addition to the white paper, Apple also updated the Apple Support page to reflect details about the new technology, as well as a redesigned privacy page in which the company’s management states that “privacy is a fundamental human right.”

Apple responded to Franken by reiterating key points from the white paper, emphasizing that the device itself doesn’t store or send any biometric information.

“I appreciate Apple’s willingness to engage with my office on these issues,” Franken said in a statement. “And I’m glad to see the steps that the company has taken to address consumer privacy and security concerns.”

Franken said he will follow up with Apple to find out more about how the company plans to safeguard consumers’ data.

Article Topics

Al Franken  |  Apple  |  biometrics  |  Face ID  |  facial recognition  |  privacy