Tag

Biometrics

All articles tagged with #biometrics

Sleep tech bed now estimates your biological aging as you snooze
technology1 month ago

Sleep tech bed now estimates your biological aging as you snooze

Eight Sleep’s Pod mattress now includes a Biological Age feature that passively tracks aging pace and biological age while you sleep, using sensors in the mattress cover (and optional data from a wearable) to measure heart rate, HRV, respiration, sleep stages and duration, with validation against clinical standards; developed with biohacker Bryan Johnson, it aims to make longevity data actionable in daily life, and the latest Pod costs $2,999 with a five‑year warranty and a 30‑night trial.

On-device privacy shields Apple Photos from biometric lawsuits
technology2 months ago

On-device privacy shields Apple Photos from biometric lawsuits

A California judge allowed a $32B lawsuit alleging Apple Photos’ face recognition violates Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act to proceed, but the piece argues Apple’s on-device ML never collects biometric data or identifies individuals—the system only groups photos by visual similarity and lets users name people themselves. The article contrasts Apple’s privacy-preserving approach with Meta’s cloud-based recognition and urges courts and lawmakers to understand the underlying tech rather than conflating the two cases.

Google expands recovery options with selfie-video sign-in
technology2 months ago

Google expands recovery options with selfie-video sign-in

Google adds a selfie-video sign-in as a new backup method for account recovery, using live-face verification (real-time movements) to confirm it’s you. The initial setup video is encrypted and stored with user consent (and can be deleted later), and eligible accounts can enable the feature via g.co/signin-selfie, complementing existing passkeys and recovery contacts.

MSG’s Secret VIP Database and the Data Breach That Exposed It
technology2 months ago

MSG’s Secret VIP Database and the Data Breach That Exposed It

A WIRED investigation reveals Madison Square Garden maintained a VIP 'talent' database that labeled hundreds of celebrities by risk and even tagged LGBTQIA attendees, while a separate Salesforce database left more than 10 million records exposed in a ShinyHunters hack; attackers used vishing to breach MSG’s security, exposing emails, phone numbers and birth dates and prompting lawsuits and scrutiny over the venue’s surveillance and data-retention practices.

EU's Entry/Exit System Aims Faster Border Checks, Delays May Persist This Summer
world4 months ago

EU's Entry/Exit System Aims Faster Border Checks, Delays May Persist This Summer

Europe’s new Entry/Exit System, now in use across 29 countries, requires biometric data from many travelers to speed border processing. While designed to speed future entries, first-time registrations and kiosk glitches have caused longer lines at major airports, with some reports of several hours during peak times. Some travelers can pre-register via an app, but this is currently limited to Sweden and Portugal; visa rules and stay lengths remain unchanged. To minimize disruption, travelers should plan extra time at airports, especially if making connections.

Peace-Sign Photos Won’t Expose Your Fingerprints, Experts Say
technology4 months ago

Peace-Sign Photos Won’t Expose Your Fingerprints, Experts Say

Experts say the viral claim that hackers can extract fingerprints from peace-sign selfies is unlikely for everyday users. While fingerprints can theoretically be lifted from high-resolution photos, the practical risk is low and attackers would need access to a fingerprint scanner and a high-value target. For most people, phishing and other traditional scams remain the bigger threat.

Disney Sued Over Biometric Gatekeeping at Disneyland
business4 months ago

Disney Sued Over Biometric Gatekeeping at Disneyland

A California federal class action accuses Disney of violating privacy, competition and consumer-protection laws by deploying facial-recognition at Disneyland and California Adventure entrances to verify tickets. The suit contends guests—often children—aren’t adequately informed or given meaningful opt-in consent, and that facial data is collected and linked to initial ticket or pass images to curb fraud and manage crowd flow. Disney says it disposes of biometric data within 30 days unless needed for legal or fraud reasons. The plaintiffs seek at least $5 million and argue the technology enables a privatized surveillance model. The case follows Disney’s $10 million FTC settlement last year over children’s data on YouTube.

Polar ID Goes Subdisplay: Metalenz Puts Face Unlock Behind the Screen
technology5 months ago

Polar ID Goes Subdisplay: Metalenz Puts Face Unlock Behind the Screen

Metalenz’s Polar ID uses polarization data captured by metasurface optics to distinguish real faces from masks, enabling biometric authentication that can operate beneath an OLED display. The system promises a notch-free, secure Face ID-like solution for laptops and smartphones, resistant to high-quality masks, with mass production planned for 2027; the under-display version is expected to arrive around 2028 after closer collaboration with display makers.

Sony Signals Global PlayStation Age Checks for Chat Features
technology5 months ago

Sony Signals Global PlayStation Age Checks for Chat Features

Sony is reportedly rolling out global age verification for PlayStation’s communication features (such as messages and voice chat) later this year, with UK/Ireland users verifying via face scans or ID through Yoti; unverified users would still access games, trophies, and the Store, while privacy and biometric data concerns loom as regulators scrutinize the approach, and Sony also plans to rebrand PSN by September 2026.

Iris as Identity: Worldcoin Partners with Tinder and Zoom to Verify Humans
artificial-intelligence5 months ago

Iris as Identity: Worldcoin Partners with Tinder and Zoom to Verify Humans

Worldcoin is expanding its biometric iris-scan verification, linking with Tinder for global “verified human” profile badges and with Zoom for real-time face checks via World ID Deep Face, plus a Concert Kit to curb ticket bots. While proponents argue biometrics can prevent bots and fraud, critics warn about privacy risks and the challenge of scaling the system, as Worldcoin presses for broader uptake amid mixed public reception and infrastructure questions.

World ID Goes Mainstream with Major App Partnerships
technology5 months ago

World ID Goes Mainstream with Major App Partnerships

World ID, the identity system from World (co-founded by Sam Altman), is expanding into mainstream apps with integrations from Zoom, DocuSign, Tinder, Okta, Shopify and VanEck, and launching a standalone World ID app. The system uses a three-tier verification (selfie, government ID, iris orb) to confirm real humans and reduce bot/fake interactions as AI agents proliferate. About 17.9 million people have signed up, with ~1.1 million in North America; critics cite security/governance concerns. World plans more orbs in SF/NYC/LA and an orb-on-demand service to broaden access.

Beat Europe’s New Biometric Lines: Smart Tips to Speed Through Passport Control
travel5 months ago

Beat Europe’s New Biometric Lines: Smart Tips to Speed Through Passport Control

European airports are seeing longer lines due to the rollout of the Entry and Exit System (EES), which requires first-time visitors to scan passports, take a photo, and provide fingerprints. While lines should ease as more travelers complete registration, you can minimize delays by arriving early (4 hours before departure), allowing longer layovers (3+ hours for Schengen connections), and choosing arrival airports with shorter queues (Madrid, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Zurich) over hubs like Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Berlin, Krakow, Lisbon.