France Plans to Become First European Country to Use Facial Recognition for Digital Identity System

France Plans to Become First European Country to Use Facial Recognition for Digital Identity System

The French government plans to introduce a program called Alicem that will require residents to take a selfie video to compare to their passport photo.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Oct 04, 2019

As part of its plans to roll out an ID program in November, the French government will incorporate facial recognition technology into a mandatory digital identity for all citizens, according to a Bloomberg report.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government is championing the ID program, known as Alicem, as a way to make government programs more efficient. But France’s data regulator has said that Alicem breaches Europe’s rules around consent for collecting personal data, Bloomberg reported. In addition, after a hacker was able to gain access to a government messaging app in a little over an hour, citizens are concerned about the country’s ability to keep their data secure. 

French privacy rights group La Quadrature du Net has already filed a lawsuit against the government for its plans to launch an Android-only app that will be the only way for French people to create a legal digital identity. Facial recognition will be its sole enabler, according to Bloomberg. 

Once residents download the app, they will create their ID by comparing a passport-style photo to a selfie video taken by the user to obtain different angles and expressions. Critics say that this app violates the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and France’s independent privacy watchdog has voiced its concerns about potential GDPR issues. 

“The government wants to funnel people to use Alicem and facial recognition,” Martin Drago, a lawyer member of La Quadrature du Net, told Bloomberg. “We’re heading into mass usage of facial recognition. (There’s) little interest in the importance of consent and choice.”

While France may be the first European country to institute a facial recognition-based digital ID, countries in Asia are in the midst of launching their own programs or already have. Singapore is creating a facial recognition system for government services, China uses facial recognition IDs to monitor its citizens, and India scans people’s irises for its identity systems. 

Macron’s interior ministry maintains that face scans will be deleted after the person enrolls in the system, and that they will not be used to monitor residents, according to MIT Technology Review. For Patrick Van Eecke, a privacy and data specialist in Belgium, the French program can be viewed through two lenses. 

“You can look at France’s use of facial recognition for digital identity in two ways: it goes too far in terms of privacy, or they’re using the most secure new technology. Are they a front-runner or are they overstepping the mark?” Van Eecke told Bloomberg. 

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file. 3

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3