Biden signs executive order expanding use of digital IDs in application process for public benefits

• Outgoing President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Jan. 13 to expand the use of digital IDs in the application process for public benefits.
• Federal agencies are required to use digital documents such as mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) and electronic passwords for online identity verification, to reduce fraud and improve efficiency.
• The system could utilize biometric scans, but the executive order does not require automated facial recognition scans and prohibits the sale or misuse of biometric data.
• The goal is to address forged state driver’s licenses, which have led to billions of dollars in fraudulent claims to benefit programs.
• While proponents see this as a step towards more effective governance, concerns remain about privacy and data safety and there are calls for strong privacy protections and robust technical support.

Outgoing President Joe Biden has signed an executive order (EO) that will expand the use of digital IDs in the application process for public benefits.

This comes after Biden signed on Dec. 30 the GSA Technology Accountability Act, which seeks to expand the use of digital IDs in federal agencies. The law, which amends Title 40 of the U.S. Code, mandates the General Services Administration (GSA) to set digital ID standards and facilitate efficient and secure management of digital identities. It also requires the GSA to report annually to Congress on projects funded by the Federal Citizen Services Fund and the Acquisition Services Fund.

However, its primary focus lies in standardizing and integrating digital identity standards across various federal agencies, paving the way for a single, unified digital identity system. Additionally, the law emphasizes “strict privacy safeguards” and aims to alleviate public concerns about digital ID implementation, promising transparency and accountability in line with existing privacy laws such as the Privacy Act of 1974.

In line with this, Biden signed an EO on Monday, Jan. 13, requiring federal agencies to use digital documents like mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) and electronic passwords as a method of online identity verification “to reduce fraud and improve the efficiency of public benefit programs.”

According to NOTUS, a non-government publication from the Allbritton Journalism Institute, the digital ID system could utilize biometric scans such as facial recognition to better verify identity online. However, the draft EO, obtained by NOTUS in 2024, does not require people to submit to automated facial recognition scans. It also prohibits the government and contractors from selling biometric data and using it for anything other than identity verification.

Instead, the executive order stated that the proposed system could help address the issue of forged state driver’s licenses, which have contributed to the loss of billions of dollars in fraudulent claims to benefit programs. Most state driver’s license systems do not connect to identity verification services that match faces to IDs, making them easy to forge.

Privacy advocates criticize the new digital identity system

Experts and privacy advocates have raised concerns about the potential risks to data safety associated with the proposed system.

Michael Rectenwald, Ph.D., author of “The Great Reset and the Struggle for Liberty: Unraveling the Global Agenda,” defines digital identity as more than just a new form of identification. Rectenwald claimed that digital identity is “the sum total of the growing and evolving mass of information about us, our profiles and the history of our activities online.” This comprehensive data collection, he argues, goes beyond simple identification and can be used to define an individual’s entire identity, both online and offline.

Meanwhile, Alexis Hancock, the director of engineering for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is particularly concerned about the potential impact on vulnerable populations. “Deploying various technologies on this population to access their benefits, such as facial recognition, is not something I’d encourage or advise. Especially with facial recognition being fraught with issues of discrimination.” (Related: Americans who refuse to sign up for “voluntary” government-issued digital ID may be DENIED health care services.)

“While there are some statements in the White House’s plans that seem protective of privacy and consent in using digital identity mechanisms to combat fraud, I am wary that digital identity will lessen or mitigate fraud at scale … This would take more robust technical support with more human aid-like useful technical support call lines and translators,” she added.

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Watch the video below to learn how digital IDs signify the end of freedom in Australia and other countries across the globe.

This video is from the Sovereign Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Digital ID system incoming: Nebraska now collecting citizens’ digital health data.

U.K. set to launch controversial DIGITAL ID system in 2025, sparking privacy concerns.

Canadian Conservative Party urges REJECTION of proposed mandatory implementation of digital IDs.

U.S. states are passing internet age verification laws as a cover to compel people into using digital IDs.

UN ‘pact for the future’: Digital IDs, vaccine passports, massive censorship.

Sources include:

ReclaimtheNet.org 1

ReclaimtheNet.org 2

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Brighteon.com