A US Agency Rejected Face Recognition–and Landed in Big Trouble

March 22, 2023

(Wired) – Zvenyach’s rejection of face recognition, detailed in a report this month by the Office of the Inspector General of the General Services Administration, the agency that houses Login[dot]gov, saw a government official draw a line in the sand in order to protect citizens from discrimination by algorithms. Face recognition technology has become more accurate, but many systems have been found to work less reliably for women with dark skin, people who identify as Asian, or people with a nonbinary gender identity.

Yet Zvenyach’s pronouncement also put Login.gov and US agencies using the service at odds with federal security guidelines. For access to some sensitive data or services, they require that a person’s identity be confirmed against a government ID, either in person or remotely using a biometric such as fingerprint or face recognition. (Read More)