The US government will let you use facial recognition to access services online - but don’t worry, your data is safe
Facial recognition to be introduced to reduce fraud and enhance security
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The US General Services Administration (GSA) has announced an expansion for its Login.gov platform that could employ biometric scanning for the first time and boost user security
In this expansion, new identity verification options will be introduced to provide users with seamless access to government benefits while also keeping them and their data safe and secure.
By providing facial recognition anddigital identityverification, users will now be able to verify their identity and access their services using their face.
Reducing fraud with your face
This latest login pathway is due to be released next year and will provide a high level of confidence in identity verification, aligning with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) 800-63-3 IAL2guidelines.
You can also expect a high level of security for your data. As a government service any data used by Login.gov to verify your identity, or any other service, can not be sold or used for any other unrelated purposes.
Facial recognition is already used by Login.gov through the low-tech method of in-person verification at a participating US Postal Service branch with a Postal Service employee. With over 99% of the US population living within 10 miles of a Post Office, this method has helped strengthen fraud prevention.
According to theGSA blog, the facial recognition technology used by Login.gov will:
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Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division), then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.
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