Biometric facial recognition to verify dates, gamblers, voters, car rentals and online exam takers

A range of new services leveraging facial biometrics to verify the identity of people using them are being launched around the world. Online dating giant Match Group is launching selfie biometrics to help protect people using its apps, partypoker is considering the technology to curtail bots, multi-accounting, and ghosting, local elections in Kompally, India have authenticated voter identity with facial recognition through a smartphone, Alipay technology is being used for car rentals and returns in China, and Proctorio has formed a partnership to bring its identity verification to online classes and certifications in the Middle East and North Africa.

Match Group using selfie biometrics and location tracking to boost security

Online dating company Match Group is investing in online data sharing technology from Noonlight and in selfie biometrics to boost user security in dating apps, specifically Tinder, writes TechCrunch. The added features include emergency assistance and location tracking powered by Noonlight, plus photo verification and an updated in-app Safety Center.

The decision to invest in advanced technologies for security was driven by a December report released by ProPublica and Columbia Journalism Investigations proving known sexual predators, including registered sexual offenders, were allowed to use the group’s apps because Match Group did not run background checks on its users.

The safety features were first implemented in Tinder, the most popular app in the company’s portfolio, in January.

Details on the investment were not revealed, however Match Group will be joining Noonlight’s board of directors. Noonlight has entered partnerships with Uber, Lyft, Alexa, Google Home, Fitbit, Canary, SmartThings and others, it has three monitoring centers and has dealt with over 100,000 emergencies to date.

U.S. Tinder users will be able to use Noonlight’s Timeline technology to share information about their dates, and trigger emergency services. A company dispatcher will contact the user and then inform emergency services, if necessary. Other Tinder updates include photo verification for self-authentication through real-time selfies compared to profile photos, harassment detection and a safety center. Once verified, photos receive a blue checkmark. The feature is planned for general release in 2020.

partypoker considers biometric facial recognition to detect cheaters

partypoker’s managing partner, Rob Young, announced on Twitter that he might implement biometric facial recognition technology to enhance security and prevent cheating, so he ran a poll to get feedback from players, says Vegas Slots Online.

According to Young, the technology would be used each time the player signs into the platform and occasionally in different tournament rounds and in high stakes cash games to get rid of bots opening and buying accounts, multi-accounting and ghosting. The idea was popular with almost 85 percent of respondents, however there were critics who mentioned privacy issues, errors and doubted effectiveness.

In reply to critics, Yonge is willing to lose some users if enhanced security will bring in more players who appreciate the extra mile the company is willing to go for protection.

Kompally State Election Commission introduces facial recognition to secure voting process

Voters in Kompally, India, can leverage facial recognition tech to securely cast their votes at 10 polling stations across the district, after the State Election Commission (SEC) decided to implement the technology to verify voter identity, reports The Times of India.

An official will check voter ID with a smartphone, and will take a picture which is uploaded on the server through a facial recognition app. The image is registered on the voter list and matched to the photo to ensure legitimacy.

“A voter who enters with a polling slip and voter ID card comes out after exercising his/her vote within two minutes, thanks to the facial recognition app,” said MNR Jyoti, Kompally municipal commissioner and assistant district election authority. “We cannot download this app from Play Store. The Telangana State Technology Services, which developed this technology, trained 10 polling personnel. We have purchased 10 smartphones exclusively for this purpose.”

Alipay introduces biometric face authentication for car rental and returns in China

Alipay, subsidiary of China’s largest e-commerce group Alibaba, has introduced an authentication service Google translates as “Brush Face” to speed up the car rental and return service in Kunming, China’s transportation hub in the southern Yunnan province, writes East Money.

The model implemented combines facial biometrics and blockchain for a process the company says can be completed in two minutes. The initiative was rolled out before the upcoming Spring Festival when the demand for car rental and self-driving tours is expected to skyrocket.

According Zhang Renhe, responsible with traditional car rental at Sesame Credit, Alipay’s face-to-face solution delivers unmanned operations, eliminating the need for manual car inspection and car rental procedures. Customers will no longer need to show ID or carry credit cards, they can just scan their face for the service. The blockchain feature stores certificates to prevent transaction disputes.

The car rental process can be run through a mobile phone. The user has to open Alipay, place an order on “Goku Rent a Car,” and go to the car rental point for Alipay facial authentication. When the order is confirmed, the mobile phone can also be used to control opening the door.

Proctorio signs exclusive Middle East, North Africa deal with ConnectMe Education

Proctorio has entered a partnership with ConnecME Education, exclusive for Middle East and North Africa, the company announced.

Under the partnership, the two will promote Proctorio’s cutting edge online Learning Integrity Platform, which delivers a new level of integrity in digital learning and online certifications to raise the bar in exam security in the region.

Proctorio uses machine learning and facial detection technology to verify that the test taker registered for the course is actually completing the work. It relies on advanced encryption to ensure privacy and data security by reducing transparency over user data.

ConnectMe now delivers Proctorio’s secure assessment in exam environments in 30 countries.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  elections  |  facial recognition  |  gaming  |  identity verification  |  online dating