US to Introduce Passport Identification Based on Facial Recognition

The US State Department is proceeding with its plan to have all domestically-produced passports equipped for identification based on facial recognition by the end of 2005. In July 2004, it issued a request for proposal for vendors to bid on the necessary components for the proposed biometric passport (or biometrically enabled passport). A biometrically enabled passport contains an embedded computer chip which stores a digitized photograph of the person to whom the passport was issued. This image data will then permit the verification and identification of the passport's bearer by a computer based on the bearer's facial characteristics gleaned from a digital photograph taken at the point of verification. Concerns about this approach fall into two categories: technical concerns and privacy concerns. On the technical side, some have called into question the adequacy of facial recognition for identification purposes in circumstances where accuracy is essential, such as border crossings and airports. According to the US National Institute for Standards and Technology, the accuracy rate for existing biometric technology is about 90 per cent under ideal conditions, compared to 99.6 per cent using two fingerprints. On the privacy aspect, although identification by facial features appears to be less intrusive to the general public than fingerprinting (and iris scans), critics worry about the potential abuse of biometric information for purposes other than those originally intended. The proposed US passport will conform to standards set down by the International Civil Aviation Organization, as will the e-passport to be issued by Canada (see the report in a previous issue of E-TIPSâ„¢, "Canadian Plans to Introduce e-Passports", Vol 3, No 4, August 2, 2004). The countries of the European Union have also committed to have all passports bearing biometric data, the latter including a digital photograph. This is in partial response to upcoming changes to the US Visa Waiver Program, under which citizens of certain countries (including most of the European Union) are exempt from obtaining visas when visiting the US. Starting October 26, 2005, all such countries must issue biometrically enabled passports. For another report on this, see: http://makeashorterlink.com/?A68451219. Summary by: Peter K. Wang