US government agency’s facial recognition launch raises concerns

Oct 25

Lauren Taylor Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

The General Services Administration has introduced facial recognition technology to its Login.gov platform. This allows users to upload a selfie to verify their identity for accessing government services. While GSA officials highlight the feature’s role in preventing identity theft and enhancing security, privacy advocates and Republican lawmakers are raising red flags.

The agency announced that this new tool aligns with Identity Assurance Level 2 standards, designed to improve secure verification.

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GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan emphasized that user convenience and security are top priorities, with facial recognition helping safeguard sensitive services.

Still, concerns are mounting. A recent inspector general report highlighted previous security gaps within the GSA. This caused some lawmakers to question whether the agency can responsibly manage sensitive biometric data.

Members of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology have expressed particular alarm over potential risks of privacy breaches and data misuse.

Privacy experts warn of further consequences, drawing parallels to authoritarian regimes that employ similar technology for surveillance.

A report from the National Academies of Sciences cautioned that facial recognition could lead to invasive monitoring if used without strict regulations. Currently, the U.S. has no comprehensive federal laws governing facial recognition technology. That is causing some civil rights groups to raise the alarm over gaps in regulation.

As more government agencies consider similar technology, questions persist about how best to balance public safety with privacy rights. The GSA plans to continue expanding Login.gov’s functionality while emphasizing a commitment to transparency and data protection.

Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, data breach, data privacy, Digital Media, facial recognition, Privacy, User data

WOULD YOU TRUST THE GOVERNMENT WITH A PICTURE OF YOUR FACE?

THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION IS INTRODUCING FACIAL-RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY FOR LOGGING IN TO ITS ONLINE PLATFORMS, A MOVE THAT HAS MANY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR PRIVATE INFORMATION.

THE GSA’S LOGIN.GOV PLATFORM, PROMOTED AS THE FRONT DOOR TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IS AN ONLINE HUB FOR USERS TO CONVENIENTLY CHECK PROGRAMS AND BENEFITS.

THE SITE NOW ALLOWS USERS TO UPLOAD A SELFIE TO VERIFY THEIR IDENTITY. THE SERVICE USES SOFTWARE TO MATCH THE IMAGE WITH THE ONE ON THE USER’S DRIVER’S LICENSE.

“They plan to add this face matching feature to the service starting within the next year… they also plan to offer folks the option to either prove their identity in person at a local post office or through a live video chat with a trained identity verification professional if they don’t want to use facial recognition”

GSA ADMINISTRATOR ROBIN CARNAHAN EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF SECURE IDENTITY VERIFICATION FOR ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES.

WHILE BIOMETRIC DATA AND FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE ARE NOTHING NEW IN THE WORLD OF TECH… THIS INITIATIVE HAS DRAWN SHARP CRITICISM FROM REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, WHO ARE RAISING SIGNIFICANT PRIVACY CONCERNS.

THEY POINT TO A 2023 GSA INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT REVEALING SERIOUS SECURITY LAPSES WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THAT THEY HAD ‘MISLED CUSTOMER AGENCIES’ BY NOT MAINTAINING PROPER SECURITY CONTROLS.

EXPERTS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE GSA HAVING ACCESS TO THIS DATABASE. THEY WARN THAT, WITHOUT STRICT REGULATIONS, DEPLOYING FACIAL-RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY COULD LEAD TO ABUSES THAT MIRROR THOSE SEEN IN AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES.

THE LACK OF CURRENT FEDERAL REGULATIONS GOVERNING FACIAL-RECOGNITION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMPOUNDS THESE WORRIES. THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS HAS UNDERSCORED THIS REGULATORY GAP, ADVOCATING FOR GREATER OVERSIGHT.

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