Other Writing

Ethiopia is set to incorporate Fayda biometric data into its passport application process as part of a broader initiative to enhance the integration of digital identification across both public and private sectors.

Ethiopia’s Immigration and Citizenship Service or ICS has confirmed the integration of [1] the Fayda national digital ID with the passport application system, aiming to enhance the efficiency and integrity of the process. The ICS indicated that this integration aligns with the...

The European Union has progressed in its efforts to introduce a digital euro by 2029, following the endorsement of the proposal by a significant parliamentary committee.

The European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs [1] has approved the proposed draft rules with a vote tally of 43 in favour , 14 against, and one abstention. The Europe of Sovereign Nations political group opposed the proposal, indicating that a subsequent vote may be required at the parliament's plenary...

Sainsbury’s is to roll out facial recognition technology to more than 200 stores by the end of 2026, however Big Brother Watch warns that the new policy exposing millions of law-abiding individuals to significant risks of privacy violations.

The facial recognition technology [1] is now active in 55 stores following a successful trial and is set to be implemented in an additional 150 stores by December 2026. The supermarket reported that the technology has been effective in reducing crime,...

A digital identification process for taxi owners and drivers in Yaoundé, Cameroon, is scheduled to commence on July 3rd and continue until October 5th. This enrolment initiative is part of new measures implemented by the city council to identify taxis operating on the city's roads.

A recent order from the city mayor mandates [1] a new registration drive that will be compulsory for all taxi drivers and vehicles. The initiative claims it aims to modernize the country’s urban transportation...

Months after experiencing a setback in their efforts regarding surveillance the European Union is seeking another opportunity to address the issue under conditions they deem more favorable, however Members of European Parliament remain skeptical to the new proposal.

EU ambassadors reached a consensus move forward with [1] a temporary extension of the framework that enables platforms such as WhatsApp and Messenger to monitor users’ private communications. Proponents assert that the measure aims...

Students in secondary schools in Cameroon are set to receive official digital ID cards, following a collaboration between the Ministry of Secondary Education and telecommunications company MTN Cameroon.

Recent disclosures reveal that both parties have signed an addendum to an existing Memorandum of Understanding, according [1] to a statement from the Ministry. The new student digital ID will build upon [2] a measure implemented in 2024, which assigns a unique identification number to every...

East African nation Madagascar has registered 2.6 million individuals in its digital identity system, meanwhile the World Bank who is also financing the biometric initiative is aiming for everyone in Africa to have a digital ID by the year 2030.

Madagascar initiated [1] a pilot programme for its digital identity infrastructure in January, aiming to enrol 2 million individuals from April to June. According to government data released by Copmad, [2] the initiative surpassed its goals achieving...

The Chinese government is planning to roll out unique digital identity numbers for all its humanoid robots to track them better throughout their lifecycle, meanwhile reports are stating digital ID systems are already becoming a human rights violation for their citizens.

Chinese authorities have issued new [1] guidelines concerning the management of humanoid robots and the tracking of their unique identification codes. These unique humanoid IDs are composed of 4 segments, a 2-digit code for...

An artificial intelligence age estimation tool designed to identify adult migrants is set to be implemented at the UK’s borders in 2027.

The UK government has awarded a contract to Akhter Computers Ltd, [1] a products and services based in Harlow, to develop and test [2] an AI facial recognition tool designed to estimate the ages of asylum seekers at the border. The contract, valued at 322,000 over three years, includes plans for further testing before a projected rollout in 2027. According to...

The speech from King Charles III detailed proposals for a Digital Access to Services Bill aimed at creating a legal framework for digital identity usage.

The King's Speech highlighted a renewed initiative [1] by the UK government to advance the implementation of a digital ID scheme. This scheme is designed to establish a national ID that enhances the accessibility and security of public services, potentially extending to private sector services like gym memberships and parcel collections. The...

A report by an organisation called Caribou has indicated that digital ID systems globally have ongoingly intensified the exclusionary issues they claim to mitigate.

Caribou, [1] a research organisation specialising in AI and digital Identity has published a report [2] titled Digital Identity and Migration: Struggles for Equitable Technology Governance is based on extensive fieldwork carried out in Kenya and Germany as part of Caribou’s “Identity in the Age of Migration” project. It provides a...

The Walt Disney Company has officially implemented facial recognition technology at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, advancing from a phase of limited testing to full operational deployment at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.

Disneyland has [1] implemented facial recognition technology at its park entrances to facilitate ticket verification, a trend that is being adopted by various major entertainment venues. The system scans guests' faces, converts the data into...

The Papua New Guinean government has announced that it will require all business entities participating in state tenders to use the national digital ID as a mandatory form of authentication.

Papua New Guinea is set to mandate their national digital ID system for all business entities involved in government procurement authentication, marking the first expansion of the SevisPass platform from individual users to the commercial sector. Peter Tsiamalili Jnr who [1] is the Acting Minister for...

Jordan have approved amendments to the civil status registration legislation, which establishes a digital ID system and requires its use for accessing public services.

Amendments to the law were approved by a majority of members of the House of Representatives on April 13, following discussions by Parliament’s Legal Committee, [1] according to Jordan News. The legislation encompasses three main provisions, one of which is the formal adoption of a digital ID, mandated for access to various...

A regional initiative aimed at digitisation is integrating millions of health records into a system influenced by controls implemented during the pandemic.

The World Health Organisation, or WHO, in collaboration with [1] its Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research and the Temasek Foundation, has initiated a three-year programme aimed at transitioning paper health records in Southeast Asia to digital health wallets.

The programme claims its [2] objective is to provide individuals with...

Idaho has become one of the few states to officially oppose mandatory digital identification.

Brad Little who [1] is the Governor of Odaho enacted [2] the Senate Bill 1299. This new legislation takes a rare stance in contemporary American state politics by opposing the adoption of digital identification rather than advocating for its implementation. The legislation [3] establishes Section 67-2364 of the Idaho Code, which prohibits government entities from mandating individuals to obtain,...

A new integrated digital service has been launched by the government in Nepal for citizens seeking to apply for citizenship certificates and national identity cards, however it faces acceptance problem with the Nagarik app.

Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed the establishment of interoperability between the Centralized Citizenship Management Information System and the National Identity Management Information System. These two significant databases had previously functioned...

Members of the European Parliament have rejected proposals that would permit tech companies to continue monitoring private messages.

The European Parliament [1] has rejected the proposed Chat Control measure, which aimed to implement automated scanning of private photos and text messages. The decision came down to a single vote, highlighting a narrow margin that prevented the ongoing mass surveillance of private communications by American technology firms. Following this decision, the...

The government in Cyprus has issued a reminder to organisations regarding the acceptance of digital documents, which include national ID cards and driving licences stored in the country's official digital identity app, Digital Citizen.

Digital documents are considered to have the same legal validity as their physical counterparts and are to be accepted unconditionally by all organisations, companies, and service providers in Cyprus, the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy...

Domestic flights in the African nation Somalia will now require passengers to present their biometric ID cards.

The new system was launched at the domestic departure terminal of Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, with Mustafa Duhulow, [1] the Director General of the Immigration and Citizenship Agency, officiating the event, [2] according to Dawan Africa.The International Civil Aviation Organization or ICA reports that a new initiative aims to digitize the internal migration system...