The Really Big Bunch and Facial Recognition in 2024

Are the Big 3 ID facing a threat from a member of the Really Big Bunch (a/k/a FAANG)? Maybe…maybe not.

Amazon Rekognition and HID Global

According to Biometric Update:

HID Global has teamed up with Amazon Web Services to enhance biometric face imaging capabilities by utilizing the Amazon Rekognition computer vision cloud service on its U.ARE.U camera system.

HID Global has previously used Paravision technology for this device. I don’t know how the Amazon agreement affects this.

And I also don’t know whether HID Global will be prevented from providing the U.ARE.U face product to law enforcement, given Amazon’s 2020-2021 ban on law enforcement use of Amazon Rekognition’s face capabilities.

Amazon Rekognition and the FBI

Especially since Fedscoop revealed in January that the FBI was in the “initiation” phase of using Amazon Rekognition. Neither Amazon nor the FBI would say whether facial recognition was part of the deal.

Why is this significant? Because, as I said before:

If Alphabet or Amazon reverse their current reluctance to market their biometric offerings to governments, the entire landscape could change again.

If they wished, Alphabet, Amazon, and the other tech powers could shut IDEMIA, NEC, and Thales completely out of the biometric business with a minimal (to them) investment. If you’re familiar with SWOT analyses, this definitely falls into the “threat” category.

But the Really Big Bunch still fear public reaction to any so-called “police state” involvement.