Emerging Tech

Lawmaker Asks DHS Secretary to Reassess Facial Recognition Programs After NIST Report

A National Institute of Standards and Technology report found age, race and gender could impact the accuracy in some commonly-used facial recognition algorithms.

Emerging Tech

Lawmakers Demand Answers on Facial Recognition Deployments in Public Housing

In a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, democrats from both chambers raised concerns about threats to residents’ privacy.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers seek answers on HUD's use of facial recognition

Responding to press accounts, a group of lawmakers want to know if the Department of Housing and Urban Development is supporting the use of biometric surveillance in public housing properties.

Digital Government

NIST Launches Biometric Databases to Boost Identity Verification Research

The rollout marks the beginning of “what is intended to be an expanding collection of biometric resources.”

Artificial Intelligence

New York Just Set a ‘Dangerous Precedent’ on Algorithms, Experts Warn

NYC’s task force on algorithms was supposed to be a beacon of transparent government. It couldn’t even gain access to basic information.

Emerging Tech

Bill Would Constrain Some Police Use of Facial-Recognition Tools

A 72-hour limit on tracking individuals would become the first, and somewhat arbitrary, federal line in the sand.

Emerging Tech

Customs Reverses Course on Mandatory Facial Scans for U.S. Citizens

After criticism from Congress and privacy advocates, the border security agency says it will pull back a proposed rule change.

Cybersecurity

CBP walks back facial recognition for citizens

The reversal took place after "consultation with Congress and privacy experts," a Customs and Border Protection spokesman says.

Emerging Tech

CBP Starts Process to Include U.S. Citizens in Facial Recognition Program

A proposed rule change would no longer allow citizens and green card holders to opt-out of Customs and Border Protection’s biometrics program.

Emerging Tech

Lawmakers Propose Bill Limiting Government's Use of Facial Recognition

The legislation would require law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before conducting facial recognition surveillance.

Emerging Tech

DHS Wants Self-Service Stations for Airport Security

The tech would allow passengers to screen themselves and skip lengthy lines at today’s security checkpoints.

Emerging Tech

Did Body Cameras Backfire?

Body cameras were supposed to fix a broken system. What happened?

Emerging Tech

Silicon Valley Rep Calls For Task Force, Legislation on Government Use of Biometrics

Rep. Ro Khanna said Congress should dictate exactly how federal agencies use technologies like facial recognition. But first, the legislative body needs to get properly educated.

Emerging Tech

Justice to Require DNA Sampling of Nearly All Detained Migrants

Once collected, the samples will be moved into the FBI’s massive DNA database. 

Emerging Tech

Lawmaker: TSA Should Halt Facial Recognition Programs Absent Formal Policies

The agency said it is working on those policies while the technology is tested through pilot programs.

Emerging Tech

Border Patrol Agents Might Get Body Cameras to Record Interactions With the Public

The agency is also interested in learning how body cameras could be integrated with its facial recognition program.

Modernization

Legacy Systems Held DHS' Biometrics Programs Back. Not Anymore.

The cloud-based HART system, which will house data on hundreds of millions of people, promises to significantly expand the department’s use of facial recognition and other biometric software, as well as its partnerships with external agencies.

Emerging Tech

A Federal Privacy Board Is Reviewing DHS’ Airport Facial Recognition Programs

An agency shared new details around its recent observations of one TSA biometrics pilot—and what it aims to assess in a comprehensive report it’s generating over the course of the next year.

Emerging Tech

Wi-Fi System Identifies People Through Walls By Their Walk

A new system uses video of a person walking to identify that person through walls using two WiFi transceivers.