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.”
Tom Steyer, the former hedge-fund executive and progressive activist, announced his candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, July 9, 2019.
The market for hemp-derived CBD is expected to hit $5.1 billion in 2019 and $23.7 billion by 2023, according to new research from CBD and cannabis-focused market research firm, Brightfield Group. Despite bullish projections from researchers, enthusiasm from the industry, and curiosity from consumers, however, legislation at the federal and local levels isn’t keeping pace.
In a ceremony that strained credulity, President Donald Trump touted his administration's environmental protection initiatives in a speech on Monday.
Female candidates must navigate the question of "electability," a double-standard for political campaigns according to Amanda Litman, former Hillary Clinton staffer and executive director of the political action committee, Run for Something.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law on Monday that will allow Democratic lawmakers in Washington access to the president’s highly sought after state tax returns.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, June 8, 2019.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority, a government department charged with ensuring business competition, ordered Amazon to pause its investment in Deliveroo, a widely-popular British restaurant delivery service.
The Trump administration will continue its efforts to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census, Justice Department lawyers said Friday. The government told a federal judge in Maryland that it will pursue further litigation but did not provide details on its rationale or legal strategy.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Friday, July 5, 2019.
