Trump Scrambles To Loosen America’s Biometric Data and Gig Worker Regulations

“Facing the prospect that President Trump could lose his re-election bid, his cabinet is scrambling to enact regulatory changes affecting millions of Americans in a blitz so rushed it may leave some changes vulnerable to court challenges,” reports the New York Times: The effort is evident in a broad range of federal agencies and encompasses proposals like easing limits on how…

Philippines Starts Registering Millions for National ID Cards

The Philippines began Monday registering millions of citizens for its national identification system, hoping to promote electronic payments and make it easier for low-income earners without bank accounts to access financial services. From a report: All Philippine citizens and resident foreigners are required to register such information as name, sex, date of birth, place of birth, blood type, address and nationality….

Amazon’s Latest Gimmicks Are Pushing the Limits of Privacy

At the end of September, Amazon debuted two especially futuristic products within five days of each other: a small autonomous surveillance drone, called Ring Always Home Cam, and a palm recognition scanner, called Amazon One. “Both products aim to make security and authentication more convenient — but for privacy-conscious consumers, they also raise red flags,” reports Wired. From the report: Amazon’s…

Singapore Becomes First Country To Use Facial Verification For a National ID Service

“Singapore will be the first country in the world to use facial verification in its national identity scheme,” reports the BBC: The biometric check will give Singaporeans secure access to both private and government services. The government’s technology agency says it will be “fundamental” to the country’s digital economy. It has been trialled with a bank and is now being rolled…

DHS Admits Facial Recognition Photos Were Hacked, Released On Dark Web

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Motherboard: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finally acknowledged Wednesday that photos that were part of a facial recognition pilot program were hacked from a Customs and Border Control subcontractor and were leaked on the dark web last year. Among the data, which was collected by a company called Perceptics, was a trove of…