The House Committee on Oversight and Reform in a letter has requested detailed documents from ID.me, a company that uses facial recognition technology for identity verification. The Committee’s letter highlighted “serious concerns about the efficacy, privacy, and security of ID.me’s technology” including denial of government benefits because of ID.me’s software and long wait times for verification.
The Oversight and Reform Committee is looking for records detailing all of ID.me’s federal, state, and local contracts, the number of people who submitted face scans to ID.me, the number of facial recognition errors, and information on the company’s use of many facial recognition technologies.
Recently, an EPIC*-led coalition of privacy and civil liberties groups urged federal and state agencies to end the use of ID.me and other face verification services. IRS dropped its plan to use ID.me after criticism from members of Congress, EPIC, and many others. The company came under scrutiny for forcing individuals to submit to intrusive facial recognition identity verification, subjecting people to long wait times for verification, and misleading the public. Individuals can join organizations pushing back against the use of face verification by signing this petition to Dump ID.me.
* “EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) was established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. “Our mission is to focus public attention on emerging privacy and civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and advocacy center. We have no clients, no customers, and no shareholders. We need your support.
We believe:
- Privacy is a fundamental right.
- We all deserve protection from abusive data practices like mass surveillance, browser tracking, demographic profiling, and data discrimination. Protecting privacy means preserving our digital autonomy, individual freedom, and democratic values.
- The internet belongs to the people who use it.
- Standards for privacy, free speech, and human rights online should not defined by corporations or unaccountable government actors. We believe in balancing the scale in favor of the billions of people who rely on the internet in their day-to-day lives.
- There’s a responsible way to use technology.
- Technology can enrich our lives and enable new possibilities for the future. But these systems can also threaten our fundamental values. That is why we advocate for meaningful oversight of data collection and processing systems to ensure that users are protected from abuse, exploitation, discrimination, and invasive surveillance.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Congress Investigating Face Verification Vendor ID.me
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform in a letter has requested detailed documents from ID.me, a company that uses facial recognition technology for identity verification. The Committee’s letter highlighted “serious concerns about the efficacy, privacy, and security of ID.me’s technology” including denial of government benefits because of ID.me’s software and long wait times for verification.
The Oversight and Reform Committee is looking for records detailing all of ID.me’s federal, state, and local contracts, the number of people who submitted face scans to ID.me, the number of facial recognition errors, and information on the company’s use of many facial recognition technologies.
Recently, an EPIC*-led coalition of privacy and civil liberties groups urged federal and state agencies to end the use of ID.me and other face verification services. IRS dropped its plan to use ID.me after criticism from members of Congress, EPIC, and many others. The company came under scrutiny for forcing individuals to submit to intrusive facial recognition identity verification, subjecting people to long wait times for verification, and misleading the public. Individuals can join organizations pushing back against the use of face verification by signing this petition to Dump ID.me.
* “EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) was established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. “Our mission is to focus public attention on emerging privacy and civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and advocacy center. We have no clients, no customers, and no shareholders. We need your support.
We believe:
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.