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.”
House Democrats handed the president one of his biggest legislative victories, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to replace NAFTA, even as they announce articles of impeachment against him.
Stocks in the U.S. opened higher Tuesday, reversing pre-market losses after a report in the Wall Street Journal signified that American and Chinese negotiators were preparing to delay the next round of tariffs, scheduled to go into effect Sunday. The Journal cited sources close to the matter on both sides of the table.
House Democrats announced two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump Tuesday morning: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The lawyers for both parties on the Intelligence Committee where the initial public hearings were held last month, had the opportunity to present findings from their respective investigations.
The company confirmed late Friday that it will move 1,500 employees into 350,000 square feet of space in a new building in the Hudson Yards development on the far west side of Manhattan.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, December 9, 2019.
Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell said the House Judiciary Committee could be drafting the articles as early as next week, but while abuse of power is sure to be included, she is unsure if other articles, like obstruction of justice and obstruction of Congress, will be drafted.
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The numbers crushed analyst expectations of 180,000. However, the strong numbers could make it unlikely the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for a fourth time this year.
