By Fatima Hussein
The IRS said Monday it will suspend the use of facial recognition technology to authenticate people who create online accounts after the practice was criticized by privacy advocates and lawmakers.
The agency said it would no longer use a third-party service, called ID.me, for facial recognition. Critics of the software said the database could become a target for cyberthreats. They also expressed concern about how the information could be used by other government agencies, among other concerns.
Earlier Monday, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called on the agency to end its use of the ID.me software. After the IRS announced the practice would be suspended, Wyden said "the Treasury Department has made the smart decision to direct the IRS to transition away from using the controversial ID.me verification service.”
"No one should be forced to submit to facial recognition to access critical government services,” he added.
The IRS is currently grappling with a worker shortage and an expanded workload from processing tax filings and administering pandemic-related programs. Legislation that would have given the agency billions of dollars to more expeditiously process returns is stalled.
“The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we understand the concerns that have been raised,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig.
“Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options that do not involve facial recognition.”
The agency said the transition would occur “over the coming weeks in order to prevent larger disruptions to taxpayers during filing season.”
In a memorandum issued Wednesday, Treasury is calling for two $250 billion cash infusions to individuals: A first set of checks issued starting April 6, with a second wave in mid-May.
Stocks are falling sharply on Wall Street in early trading as fears spread that the coronavirus is causing a global recession.
The U.S. and Canada have agreed to temporarily close their shared border to nonessential travel. President Donald Trump made that announcement Wednesday on Twitter as the two nations work to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the airline industry, even as momentum for an enormous bailout package builds in the White House and on Capitol Hill, ia growing backlash has been sparked among Democratic lawmakers, consumer advocates, and antitrust experts.
Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) told Cheddar’s J.D. Durkin on Tuesday,“[An airline bailout] is going to have to be a part of this immediate package
Stocks are closing solidly higher after President Donald Trump promised he's “going big” with plans to blunt the economic pain caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that New Yorkers should prepare for the possibility of a “shelter-in-place” order within the next 48 hours.
Stocks are adding sharply to their gains on Wall Street after President Donald Trump and his team announced more measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
Stacey Cunningham, president of the New York Stock Exchange, told Cheddar on Tuesday that the markets remaining open is important during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The White House announced major moves in coordination with the Federal Reserve to mitigate economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic which has brought some industries to a near halt.
