Shifting biometrics selection necessitate new marketplaces, benchmarking

Biometrics options are changing and expanding as a function of industry maturity, with choice in digital ID and an emerging player in a fast-growing country market among the most-read articles of the past week on Biometric Update. Select ID’s Nick Mothershaw presents his group’s vision for a one-stop shop for digital identity providers, and Indian selfie biometrics provider Equal Identity has revealed an impressive early funding round. NIST is also in the process of expanding testing options, including for one-to-many iris recognition. Many people and organizations will welcome help navigating the market, given the ongoing policy re-think in the U.S., UK and elsewhere. Consolidation also comes with market maturity, however, and IN Groupe has closed its deal for mitID operator Nets’ digital ID business.

Most viewed biometrics news this week

The harmful effects of deepfakes and what can be done about them was explored during the Detecting Deepfakes Summit, where Kantara’s Kay Chopard called for united action and Contrails.ai’s Ami Kumar laid out the relation between shifting media consumption and the worsening problem. The AVPA has launched Project DefAI in collaboration with Idiap, the ACCS and Privately in a joint UK-Swiss initiative to tackle the problem.

Perhaps ironically, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has committed to canceling the Biden Administration’s executive order on AI and other regulations, and proposed legislation that would require federal agencies to avoid algorithmic bias is likely to fail. The incoming government has committed to reducing oversight of AI in order to prioritize free speech and innovation.

Balancing business-friendly deregulation with privacy considerations will be a key consideration for the government’s digital identity and biometrics policy. President Trump has said he wants the biometric exit system completed, and Congressional Republicans have signaled support for informed consent requirements on biometric data collection.

The UK House of Lords will take up the Data (Use and Access) Bill next week, and ahead of the debate Lord Christopher Holmes has thrown his support behind its potential for open finance, data adequacy to EU protections and inclusion gains. Information Commissioner John Edwards identifies specific points that require clarification, but likewise welcomes the legislation.

Hong Kong is the latest jurisdiction to announce a coming mobile driver’s license, with a launch coming next year. The Hong Kong mDL will have full equivalence to a physical ID card, and is based on a decentralized identity architecture due to the unique relationship between the territory and mainland China.

Governments around the world continue to struggle to build public trust in digital ID, and representatives from around the world discussed their efforts to do so in a Global Government Forum webinar. Estonia has had success by emphasizing benefits to citizens and data protection, and several speakers highlighted transparency as a key principle.

CEO Nick Mothershaw explains the mission of Select ID to Biometric Update in terms of compliance, contracts and connections in an interview on the launch of the TISA initiative. Select ID plans to publish the compliance guidelines that will govern its marketplace of digital identity providers by January.

The near future of biometrics testing for NIST includes evaluations of 1:N iris recognition, distill fingerprints and palms, tattoos and what Patrick Grother refers to as “cheat sheets” on how to read test results and reports. PAD testing is on hold for now, as NIST Gathers more data, and longer-duration longitudinal comparisons will be added to facial recognition evaluations.

IN Groupe has completed its takeover of Nets’ digital ID business. Goode Intelligence’s Alan Goode notes the acquisition reflects the trend towards the convergence of physical and digital ID. It also represents a significant consolidation, considering IN Groupe’s exclusive negotiations to acquire Idemia Smart Identity.

India-based digital ID verification provider Equal Identity raised $10 million in a series A funding round at a valuation of $80 million. The company is supported by a large group of institutions and angel investors, and it has entered strategic partnerships with Indian financial consent and fintech companies.

Incode Founder and CEO Ricardo Amper has been inducted into the Endeavor network to help support “high-impact entrepreneurs” in emerging and underserved markets. The nonprofit network provides guidance for the leaders of potential unicorns, and Amper joins after Incode reached the startup status itself with a $1.25 billion valuation.

If you see any interviews, podcasts or other content you think we should share with the people in biometrics and the digital identity community, please let us know in the comments below or through social media.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  week in review