[wtf?] IRS Retreats From Facial Recognition to Verify Taxpayers’ Identities

From [HERE] The Internal Revenue Service is scrapping its use of a private facial-recognition system to authenticate taxpayers’ identities for online accounts, the agency said Monday after criticism from lawmakers in both parties over privacy concerns.

“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,” IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said in a statement on Monday.

The IRS has been using the service from a company called ID.me for people to validate and verify their identities before opening online accounts and accessing sensitive personal tax data. The agency was also planning to phase out access to online accounts except through ID.me, starting this summer. ID.me referred questions to the IRS.

The agency didn’t plan to require taxpayers to use the system to pay or file taxes, check their refunds, or check the status of amended returns. But the technology, which includes facial recognition, has been part of an identity-verification system for people to establish online accounts through the IRS website. Those accounts can be used to check on payment plans, look up records and access information about stimulus payments and advanced child tax credits.

Senate Republicans wrote to Mr. Rettig last week to argue that the move threatened personal privacy and created cybersecurity and oversight risks.

“The IRS has unilaterally decided to allow an outside contractor to stand as the gatekeeper between citizens and necessary government services,” the lawmakers, including Sen. Mike Crapo (R., Idaho), wrote.

On Monday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) joined in, asking Mr. Rettig to halt the use of facial-recognition software.

“The government can treat Americans with respect and dignity while protecting against fraud and identity theft,” wrote Mr. Wyden, who applauded Mr. Rettig’s decision later on Monday.

Mr. Wyden also expressed concerns about racial and gender bias in facial-recognition systems.

“Many facial recognition technologies are biased in ways that negatively impact vulnerable groups, including people of color, women, and seniors,” he wrote.

Entrusted with millions of Americans’ financial information, the IRS emphasizes data security and taxpayer privacy, but it has sometimes struggled to meet those goals. [MORE]