Technology - Home - Technology - News OkCupid settles claims it shared user photos with a facial recognition company Dating app OkCupid agreed to settle claims from the Federal Trade Commission that it deceived millions of users by sharing their photos with a third-party facial recognition company without their consent. OkCupid and parent company Match Group did not admit w… Published a day ago on Apr 4th 2026, 5:00 am By Web Desk Dating app OkCupid agreed to settle claims from the Federal Trade Commission that it deceived millions of users by sharing their photos with a third-party facial recognition company without their consent. OkCupid and parent company Match Group did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement, but instead promised not to make similar alleged misrepresentations in the future. According to the FTC complaint, after facial recognition company Clarifai reached out to one of OkCupid’s founders in 2014, the app gave it access to nearly three million OkCupid user photos, alongside demographic and location data about users. That access violated OkCupid’s own privacy policy, the FTC alleged, since it didn’t give users a chance to opt out of their data being shared. After sharing the data, OkCupid and Match later tried to obscure their relationship with Clarifai when The New York Times reached out about it for a story, the FTC alleged. Still, the settlement does not impose penalties on OkCupid or Match, nor directly address the data allegedly shared with Clarifai. The companies promise not to misrepresent their data collection and sharing policies in the future, and submit to compliance monitoring, which could subject them to further action if they’re found to violate the order, once approved by a court. FTC consumer protection bureau director Christopher Mufarrige said in a statement that the settlement shows, “The FTC
Apr 4, 2026 · via gnnhd.tv
Abstract Agricultural pests continue to impose serious threats to global food security by causing major yield losses across diverse cropping systems, making early and accurate identification vital for effective pest management. With the growing integration of digital technologies in modern agriculture, deep-learning–based pest recognition has become a promising approach to surpass the limitations of manual scouting and conventional monitoring practices. This work presents a comprehensive experimental evaluation of multiple deep-learning architectures for multi-class pest classification via image-level classification covering 19 pest species. The study investigates classical CNNs (MobileNetV2, VGG16), compound-scaled models (EfficientNetB0/B3, EfficientNetV2-B0), residual architectures (ResNet50), automated NAS models (Xception, NASNetLarge), and novel hybrid CNN–Transformer designs including Hybrid InceptionResNetV2, Hybrid ResNet50 + CBAM, Hybrid EffNet-Transformer, and Hybrid EfficientNetV2-S + Transformer. To enhance foreground isolation and reduce background complexity in field images, segmentation-driven preprocessing is employed using GrabCut, Watershed, SLIC, and Felzenszwalb, generating structure-refined image representations for downstream classification. Results show that attention-augmented hybrid models consistently outperform standalone CNNs, with the Hybrid EfficientNetV2-S + Transformer achieving the highest performance with 0.8800 validation accuracy, 0.849 macro-F1, and 0.4560 validation loss. These findings highlight the effectiveness of combining convolutional feature hierarchies with global self-attention for reliable multi-species pest classification and offer meaningful guidance for developing intelligent precision agriculture systems. Similar content being viewed by others Data availability The datasets analysed during the current study are available in the repository [https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/ibrahimagabardiop/pestaidatasetv2]. References About | Plant Production and Protection | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Plant-Production-and-Protection. (2025). https://www.fao.org/plant-production-protection Savary, S., Ficke, A., Aubertot, J. N. & Hollier, C. The global burden of pathogens and pests on major food crops. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 3(3), 430–439. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0793-y (2019). Junaid, M. D. & Gokce, A. F. Global agricultural losses and their causes. Bull. Biol. Allied Sci. Res. 2024(1), 66–66 (2024). Ullah, Q. et al. Innovative
Apr 4, 2026 · via nature.com
Two black crows in a German lab have just shaken up what we thought we knew about animal intelligence. In a study published in 2025, carrion crows learned to spot a single odd shape hidden among five nearly identical ones. They did this even when the shapes were tricky quadrilaterals that humans normally meet in math class. For a long time, researchers suspected that this kind of geometric intuition belonged only to our species. So what exactly did the birds do? Perched in front of a touchscreen, each crow saw six shapes at a time. Five were the same. One was the intruder. When the crow pecked the odd one out, a feeder dropped a reward such as a mealworm. At first the differences were obvious, like a crescent among stars. Then the team at the University of Tübingen made the task much tougher with warped squares, skewed diamonds and other quadrilaterals that differed only in subtle angles and side lengths. Even on their very first encounters with these new quadrilateral sets, both crows chose the intruder far above chance. In a game where random pecks would be right only about one time in six, the birds landed on the correct answer close to half the time, and sometimes more. They also did better with very regular shapes such as neat squares and worse when everything was irregular. That pattern looks a lot like the way human volunteers respond in similar tests. For animal cognition researchers, there is an extra twist. Earlier work with baboons using related stimuli suggested that nonhuman primates did not show the same sensitivity to geometric regularity. Some scientists took that as a hint that intuitive shape geometry might be a human specialty. The new crow results suggest that bird brains, which lack a mammalian cortex,
Apr 4, 2026 · via ecoticias.com
Abstract In the field of security X ray imaging, existing datasets mainly focus on endogenous domain shifts caused by hardware differences but do not address pseudocoloring driven domain shift (PDS), a type of domain shift resulting from different pseudocoloring schemes across devices. To fill this gap, we construct and release a benchmark dataset designed for studying domain shifts in security X ray inspection, focusing on both PDS and endogenous differences. The dataset has two complementary subsets: a synthetic subset, which applies controlled hue transformations on an endogenous domain shift dataset to isolate and evaluate PDS independently; and an aggregated subset, which integrates multiple public security datasets into a unified format for verifying cross domain and cross device model generalization. All annotations follow standardized structures with detailed descriptions to ensure reproducibility and comparability. This dataset provides a benchmark for evaluating object detection algorithms under domain shifts and supports studies on model robustness and generalization in diverse X ray security scenarios. Similar content being viewed by others Data availability The dataset is available at Figshare29. The PDSXray dataset and analysis code are publicly available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.29958461. The dataset includes X-ray security inspection data for studying the impact of pseudocoloring-driven (PDS) and endogenous (EDS) domain shifts on model performance. The code contains training and analysis scripts, along with model weights, supporting result reproduction. Both the dataset and code are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) (license details: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Code availability The code used in this study is hosted on Figshare alongside the PDSXray dataset29: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.29958461. It includes scripts for analyzing PDS, cross-dataset category mapping, and model training, along with model weights for replication. The code is licensed under the CC BY 4.0 license, the same as the dataset. The link is public and will remain available after
Apr 4, 2026 · via nature.com
CNA938 Rewind - Ditch the inkpads? The rise of facial recognition at checkpoints #SGToday
Singapore will roll out facial recognition clearance for motorcyclists at Woodlands Checkpoint from end-March, with Tuas to follow - but could your face be your new thumbprint? Daniel Martin finds out more from Professor Alex Kot, Emeritus Professor, NTU.
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Apr 4, 2026 · via channelnewsasia.com
Aiarty’s Image Matting V2.7 and Video Enhancer V3.6 enhance RAW support, AI background removal, and video rendering for faster, more reliable workflows. CHENGDU, SICHUAN, CHINA, March 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Aiarty, a leading provider of AI-powered creative solutions, today announced the latest upgrades for Aiarty Image Matting V2.7 and Aiarty Video Enhancer V3.6. These new releases focus on professional AI image and video enhancement, delivering better RAW photo compatibility, improved AI background removal accuracy, and stable AI video rendering for long-duration projects. These updates support photographers, videographers, and digital creators, enhancing AI video enhancement, AI image matting, and batch RAW photo processing for more efficient workflows. In conjunction with these new releases, Aiarty is launching a limited-time Easter promotion, offering up to 49% off lifetime plans for its AI image and video tools: https://www.aiarty.com/store.htm?ttref=w4bd-aiverele-zhh2603-enpr Aiarty Image Matting V2.7: Optimized RAW Background Removal for Photos from Professional Cameras Aiarty Image Matting is an AI background remover that enables photographers to quickly and precisely remove image backgrounds while preserving fine details and textures. Version V2.7 introduces optimized RAW parsing, enhancing compatibility with major RAW formats. It significantly improves color reproduction for Canon CR3 files, widely used by photographers with Canon EOS R series and EOS 5D Mark IV cameras, and refines display logic for RW2 files from popular Panasonic Lumix models like the GH5, S5, and G9, preserving details and tones more faithfully. These improvements make AI background removal and batch RAW photo processing faster, more precise, and more reliable, helping professional photographers achieve high-quality results with minimal manual adjustments. Additional fixes in V2.7 include : * Windows NVIDIA GPU compatibility: Resolves TensorRT inference engine issues after driver updates, ensuring stable AI-powered image processing. * TIFF preview bug fix: Eliminates low-quality thumbnails and improves efficiency for batch RAW workflows. These updates make
Apr 4, 2026 · via blufftontoday.com
Alcatraz closes $50M Series B, plans new verticals and international market expansion California-based biometric access control firm Alcatraz AI has closed a US$50 million Series B funding round, which it will use to expand into new verticals and international markets. The latest round brings the startup’s total funding to over $100M since its founding. The financing was led by Bulgarian private equity firm BlackPeak Capital, Warsaw-based venture fund Cogito Capital, and Taiwania Capital, a venture capital firm founded by the Taiwanese government. Other backers include existing investors Almaz Capital, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Ray Stata, an investor and co-founder of Analog Devices. The company’s main product is the Rock, a face biometric access control system that authenticates users as they walk into a space. The system is anonymized, meaning it doesn’t identify a person based on a stored facial image; instead, it converts snapshots of faces into encrypted representations, which are then bound to a credential. In 2025, the company reported strong growth, including a 200 percent increase in new enterprise customers and a 300 percent year-over-year increase in data center adoption. Other clients include sport venues, R&D centers, financial institutions, universities and airports, including the Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. “The world’s largest airports, energy companies, and the world’s most critical data centers all trust Alcatraz,” the company’s CEO, Tina D’Agostin, says in a statement. The fresh financing comes just as the Cupertino-headquartered firm celebrates its 10th anniversary. Alcatraz was founded in 2016 by Vince Gaydarzhiev, a former Apple product lead who worked on hardware prototyping for iPad and iPhone during the development of Face ID. The Bulgarian‑born engineer says he was inspired to “create a Face ID for the physical world,” he recently told media outlet Entrepreneur. The company completed its $25
Apr 4, 2026 · via biometricupdate.com
After unrest at an unauthorised pro-Palestine demonstration in October 2025, the police in Bern have published images of suspected offenders as part of a large-scale search. The damage caused to around 50 buildings by some protesters is estimated to run from several hundred thousand to a few million Swiss francs, depending on how broadly costs are defined. In March the cantonal police launched a public appeal. So far, they say, only one individual has been clearly identified. On Monday the authorities released images of 31 further suspects, described as “strong suspects”. Identification based on the photographs may take several days, the police said. A further 101 masked suspects have already been identified and will be contacted in the coming weeks. Public appeals of this kind are routine. But, the police noted, one involving so many individuals is unprecedented. Under Swiss law it would be possible for property owners to bring a civil claim within criminal proceedings, or sue separately in civil court, to require offenders to pay damages directly as part of the judgment. More on this: Bern police appeal (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Leave a Reply
Apr 4, 2026 · via lenews.ch
The Science & Technology desk gathers a weekly digest of impactful and interesting research publications and developments at Stanford. Read the latest in this week’s Research Roundup. Stanford researchers develop retinal implant that restores reading ability in blind patients A microchip smaller than a fingernail, surgically placed beneath the retina, has restored the ability to read in patients who lost their sight to dry age-related macular degeneration, the most common form of incurable blindness in older adults. The microchip operates alongside augmented-reality glasses equipped with a camera that captures images and projects them as infrared light onto the implant’s 378 photovoltaic pixels. The device, called PRIMA, was developed by Stanford ophthalmology professor Daniel Palanker and works by converting infrared light into an electrical current that stimulates surviving retinal neurons, which then relay signals to the brain. “It’s basically like solar panels,” Palanker said to Stanford Magazine. “Every pixel is a little solar panel in the eye.” In a clinical trial which took place in Europe, 27 of 32 patients who completed one year of follow-up regained the ability to read letters, numbers and words. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in Oct. 2025. Science Corporation, which now manufactures PRIMA, expects European regulatory approval by summer, with U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval pending. Currently, Palanker’s lab is developing a next-generation chip with more than 10,000 pixels to further improve image resolution and enable potential facial recognition. Stanford study finds gut bacteria drive age-related memory loss, and the decline may be reversible Shifts in the gut microbiome that occur naturally with aging impair communication between the intestines and the brain to drive cognitive decline, but restoring that pathway can reverse memory loss, according to a mouse study from Stanford Medicine and the Arc Institute published in
Apr 3, 2026 · via stanforddaily.com
Abstract Infrared and visible light image fusion aims to synthesize a more informative result by extracting and integrating complementary salient features within two heterogeneous modalities. Recent research has shown that capturing explicit self-similarity and implicit cross-correlation with the aid of an attention mechanism has garnered significant interest and presents several advantages. However, exploring the complementary relationships more comprehensively and optimizing the interaction degrees of double attentions quantitatively is still a challenging issue. In this paper, a novel infrared and visible light image fusion method exploring a double-attention mechanism is proposed. Specifically, our approach excavates intra- and inter-attention features of source images through a two-step feature extraction strategy and integrates them with an intra-attention block in the feature fusion stage. Additionally, to regulate the interaction of two kinds of attentions optimally, an adaptive interaction loss term is devised. In these ways, the salient infrared targets and visible texture details can be integrated more effectively. In the experiments, the proposed method was contrasted with seven state-of-the-art methods on the TNO and RoadScene datasets. The comprehensive subjective and objective comparisons demonstrate the superiority of our method. In addition, a thorough experiment and discussion on the interaction of intra- and inter-information is presented to validate and analyze the effectiveness of our work further. Similar content being viewed by others Data availability The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Code availability Available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. References Zhang, H., Xu, H., Tian, X., Jiang, J. & Ma, J. Image fusion meets deep learning: A survey and perspective. Inf. Fusion 76, 323–336 (2021). Karim, S. et al. ReMamba: A hybrid CNN-Mamba aggregation network for visible-infrared person re-identification. Sci. Rep. 14, 29362 (2024). Vivone, G. Multispectral and hyperspectral image fusion in remote
Apr 3, 2026 · via nature.com
Abstract Recognizing and distinguishing actions is a complex cognitive process that relies on integrating various spatiotemporal information. However, the specific contributions of spatial and temporal features to action recognition remain unclear. To address this gap, we conducted fMRI recordings in monkeys as they observed videos of grasping, touching, and reaching actions. Using multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA), we identified distinct action representation patterns across the brain, with most regions of the action observation network (AON) exhibiting a grasping-dominant pattern. This neural representation was consistent with the monkeys’ behavioral differentiation of these actions in subsequent categorization tasks. Building on computer vision approaches, we systematically extracted dynamic spatial and temporal features from action videos, capturing evolution of feature information over time, and compared these features with the monkeys’ behavioral performance. Our results demonstrate that these features are utilized across a hierarchy and selectively correlate with behavior, reflecting a complex interplay between feature information and key action components. These findings imply a distributed coding strategy in which diverse spatial and temporal features are selectively integrated to form action representations that facilitate recognition or discrimination. Our study provides empirical evidence for current action recognition models and introduces advanced computational tools for analyzing high-dimensional and multimodal data. Similar content being viewed by others Data availability The data that support the findings of this study are partially available online on Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18978813. Full data will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Code availability The code that supports the findings of this study is available online on Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18978813. References Fleischer, F., Christensen, A., Caggiano, V., Thier, P. & Giese, M. A. Neural theory for the perception of causal actions. Psychol. Res. 76, 476–493 (2012). Fleischer, F., Caggiano, V., Thier, P. & Giese, M. A. Physiologically inspired model for the visual recognition of transitive hand
Apr 3, 2026 · via nature.com
Alcatraz raises $50 million to replace badges with facial authentication By SSN Staff Updated 9:58 AM CDT, Fri April 3, 2026 CUPERTINO, Calif.—Alcatraz, a developer of facial authentication technology for physical access control, has raised $50 million in Series B funding as it looks to expand adoption across data centers, airports and other high-security environments. The round was led by BlackPeak Capital, Cogito Capital and Taiwania Capital, with participation from existing investors including Almaz Capital, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Ray Stata and others. The funding brings Alcatraz’s total capital raised to more than $100 million. Founded in 2016, Alcatraz develops an AI-enabled access control system designed to authenticate employees without storing facial images or other personally identifiable data. The company positions its technology as an alternative to badges, PINs and traditional biometric systems, which it says are increasingly vulnerable to loss, sharing and misuse. Alcatraz reports that its customer base includes large data centers, U.S. airports, energy companies, professional sports organizations, universities and Fortune 100 enterprises. In 2025, the company says it saw more than 300% year-over-year growth in data center deployments and doubled new enterprise customer adoption. “Badges and passcodes were designed for a different era,” says CEO Tina D’Agostin. “Organizations want stronger assurance that the person entering a secure space is the authorized employee - without introducing new privacy risks.” Authentication vs. surveillance At the center of Alcatraz’s platform is the Rock, a device installed at building entry points that verifies identity through facial authentication as a person walks past, eliminating the need to stop and present a credential. The company draws a clear distinction between facial authentication and facial recognition systems commonly associated with surveillance. Traditional facial recognition technologies typically match images against stored databases of photographs, a practice that has drawn increased
Apr 3, 2026 · via securitysystemsnews.com
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Apr 3, 2026 · via youtube.com
Abstract The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into surgical navigation represents a pivotal advancement in modern operative medicine. In endoscopic thyroidectomy, safeguarding the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is of critical importance due to its vulnerability to iatrogenic injury, which affects 3–8% of cases and can lead to serious complications such as vocal cord paralysis. However, existing intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) technologies are limited by high costs, operator dependence, and discontinuous signal acquisition. To address the lack of large-scale, annotated datasets essential for training robust deep learning models in real-world surgical settings, we present ThyRLN-PUMCH, the first comprehensive in vivo dataset dedicated to RLN identification in endoscopic thyroid surgery. This dataset comprises 18,178 pixel-level annotated frames from 28 clinically diverse surgical cases. Annotations were performed and validated by board-certified endocrine surgeons through a multi-stage quality control process. We benchmarked two segmentation models to verify their practicability and proved the dataset’s capacity to support high-precision RLN segmentation tasks. ThyRLN-PUMCH fills a critical gap in AI assisted head and neck surgery by offering temporally continuous, clinically representative images and annotations. It provides a robust foundation for developing AI-based intraoperative navigation tools aimed at enhancing surgical safety, education, and efficiency in head and neck surgery. Similar content being viewed by others Data availability The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Kaggle at https://doi.org/10.34740/kaggle/dsv/1201463023. A detailed description of the data files and structure is provided in the Data Record section of this paper. Code availability The code for the models related to the technical validation of this dataset is publicly available at: https://github.com/AriaCui/mmsegmentation?tab=readme-ov-file#. References Sung, H. et al. Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA Cancer J Clin 71(3), 209–249 (2021). Boucai, L., Zafereo, M. & Cabanillas, M.
Apr 3, 2026 · via nature.com
The concept of modern policing heavily relies on the use of technology to implement the law in the true sense. Modern technological equipment and methods may help in enhancing the efficiency of the police force in the prevention and investigation of crime. A private member bill named the Facial Recognition Technology (Regulation of Police Powers) Bill, 2023 has been pending since 2023. The Bill was designed to lay down the procedure regulating the use of facial recognition technology for the purpose of enhancing the surveillance capabilities of law enforcement machinery, balancing it with constitutional safeguards. The provisions may help police officials in operating their duties, such as identification of suspects and solving missing report cases coming in on a daily basis. The Bill also restricts unauthorised use of FRT. For proper use, a police officer will take the prior approval of a magistrate. The Bill has attempted to define key terms like facial recognition technology, calling it an algorithm-based identification system. The term ‘face surveillance’ is defined as technology to track behaviour and analyse the movement of individuals or groups of individuals. It also defines the expression “other remote biometric recognition", which may include voice recognition technology. The general rule under the FRT Bill prohibits the discriminatory use of technology based on caste, religion, gender, political ideology, etc. It allows exceptions in cases of threats to the national security, unity and integrity of India. The Bill has assigned the role of collecting, storing, processing and sharing biometric data to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The data stored may be retained for up to 75 years, with provisions for deletion if the person is acquitted or discharged by the court. Along with this rule, there are certain procedural safeguards, including the right to be heard before deployment of FRT. The
Apr 3, 2026 · via barandbench.com
TWIGGS COUNTY, Ga. — A facial recognition technology is helping law enforcement in Central Georgia identify suspects, solve crimes and reconnect families with missing loved ones. The Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office has been using Clearview AI, a tool that allows deputies to upload or take a photo and search public online databases for matches tied to a person’s face. Joshua Nobles, an investigator with the sheriff’s office, said the system has been in use for about three years and has become a valuable resource in investigations. “In a nutshell, you just click whether you want to do a victim, suspect, person of interest, humanitarian, or lost or missing persons,” Nobles said. “Then it will prompt you to a different page, and from that page you can import a picture … and then it will come up with the results.” Nobles said the software pulls images and information from publicly available sources online. “Anything public on the internet, it will pull from that and then tells me where the picture’s at, the name and everything else on it,” he said. The technology can cost thousands of dollars and is not widely used by all agencies, particularly smaller departments. Nobles said Twiggs County initially gained access to the tool through another agency during an identity theft case and later adopted it. Since then, he said the department has used the technology in hundreds of cases and has assisted agencies across the state. “I’ve assisted all the way from Atlanta, all the way down to south Georgia,” Nobles said. “We’ve solved a homicide in Atlanta, a cold case robbery in south Georgia, and several cases here in middle Georgia.” He said the tool has been especially useful in identity theft and fraud investigations, which continue to increase. “If we have a photograph of
Apr 3, 2026 · via 13wmaz.com
What is TSA's PreCheck Touchless ID facial recognition? How to use it TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is currently available at six major Florida airports - The TSA PreCheck Touchless ID program uses facial recognition to speed up security checks. - Travelers must already have TSA PreCheck and opt-in through a participating airline's app. - The service is currently available at several major airports, including six in Florida. The wait for security checks at major airports is starting to dwindle back to normal after weeks of lengthy lines kept travelers backed up for hours. The TSA said airport security officer absences resulting from a weeks-long partial government shutdown fell sharply Monday after workers finally got paid. But even with that bottleneck relieved, air travel remains heavy due to the weekend Easter holiday and the crowds of spring break travelers coming to or leaving Florida. Airlines for America estimated 171 million people would be flying between March 1 and April 30, a 4% increase from 2025. Air travel can be stressful at the best of times, and anything that can speed that up can help. Last year, the TSA launched the PreCheck Touchless ID program, a facial recognition addition to TSA PreCheck that allows passengers to pass through security checkpoints without presenting an ID Card or boarding pass. You just show your face and keep walking. The TSA PreCheck Touchless ID program has rolled out to about 60 major airports nationwide, including six in Florida. What is TSA PreCheck Touchless ID? Instead of asking for your ID card or boarding pass, TSA agents use facial recognition technology called Traveler Verification Service to create a biometric template of your face and compare it to images you previously provided to the federal government, similar to using Face ID to unlock your phone. You must
Apr 3, 2026 · via palmbeachpost.com
What Florida airports have TSA PreCheck Touchless ID? - The TSA has launched the PreCheck Touchless ID program to speed up security lines. - This program uses facial recognition to verify a traveler's identity without a physical ID or boarding pass. - PreCheck Touchless ID is available at about 60 major U.S. airports for travelers with TSA PreCheck. Concerned about long lines at TSA checkpoints, the next time you fly? The Transportation Security Administration has made several changes over the past year to make the process smoother while maintaining security, including dropping the "take off your shoes" requirement, adding express lines for military travelers and families, and promoting the PreCheck program that allows you to verify your identity ahead of time. Last year, the TSA also launched the PreCheck Touchless ID program, an addition to PreCheck that allows passengers to pass through security checkpoints without presenting an ID Card or boarding pass. You just show your face. The program has rolled out to about 60 major airports in the U.S., including six in Florida. It's free to use, provided you are already signed up for TSA PreCheck. What is TSA PreCheck Touchless ID? Instead of asking for your ID card or boarding pass, TSA agents use facial recognition technology called Traveler Verification Service to create a biometric template of your face and compare it to images you previously provided to the federal government, similar to using Face ID to unlock your phone. You must already have an updated profile with a participating airline, have TSA PreCheck, and have a valid passport.Participation is optional, and you can opt out even if you've signed up for it. You must still carry a valid, acceptable physical ID and boarding pass and present them if asked. Which Florida airports use TSA PreCheck Touchless ID?
Apr 3, 2026 · via floridatoday.com
By MELISSA GOLDIN and BARBARA WHITAKER Artificial intelligence-generated content is everywhere these days, making it increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction, particularly when it comes to breaking news. Look no further than the Iran war. Since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, researchers have identified an unprecedented number of false and misleading images that were generated using artificial intelligence and have reached countless people around the world. Among them, fake footage of bombings that never happened, images of soldiers who were supposedly captured and propaganda videos created by Iran that depict President Donald Trump and others as blocky, Lego-like miniatures. Thursday, the 10th annual International Fact-Checking Day, provides a good opportunity to look at these evolving challenges. Misinformation created with AI is being shared with unprecedented speed from an endless number of sources. From the outset of the Iran war, accounts from all sides of the conflict promoted such content. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which tracks disinformation and online extremism, has been examining social media posts around the Iran war. Among their findings was a group of X accounts that regularly post AI-generated content and collectively gained more than 1 billion views since the conflict began. This was done by roughly two dozen accounts, many of which had blue check verification. Here are some tips for distinguishing AI-generated content from reality in an online world where that continues to get harder. Look for visual cues When AI-generated images first began spreading widely online, there were often obvious tells that could identify them as fabricated. Perhaps a person had too few — or too many — fingers or their voice was out of sync with their mouth. Text may have been nonsensical. Objects were frequently distorted or missing key components. As the technology continues to evolve,
Apr 3, 2026 · via advocate-news.com
Alcatraz raises $50M to bring Apple Face ID-style security to physical buildings Cupertino-based facial recognition security startup Alcatraz said today it has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round led by BlackPeak Capital, Cogito Capital and Taiwania Capital. Previous investors Almaz Capital, EBRD and Ray Stata also participated, bringing the company’s total funding to date to over $100 million. Alcatraz is the developer of physical security systems that aim to lock down key infrastructure and buildings, such as airports, data centers, energy facilities and so on. Access to these locations is enabled via facial recognition powered by artificial intelligence algorithms that can check who is coming and going from a facility without storing any personal data. The startup’s core product, called “the Rock,” is designed to be installed at a building or facility’s entry points. It’s essentially a scanner that verifies authorized personnel are allowed to enter as they approach the building at walking speed, enabling seamless access while preventing anyone who is not allowed to enter from going inside. Alcatraz is targeting old-school physical access technology such as identity badges and PIN numbers, which can get lost or stolen and fall into the wrong hands. At the same time, it addresses the uncomfortable questions around surveillance that plagues the alternative – facial recognition systems. The problem with these systems is that they tie an employee’s identity to their face, storing that data on a server somewhere. But this makes that server a high-value target for hackers, Alcatraz says, inviting security breaches. Worse, most employees don’t realize that their physical appearance and identity is stored together in this way. With Alcatraz’s technology, there’s no need to store any of this data, and there’s no stopping and swiping badges or entering PIN numbers. The system confirms an employee’s identity
Apr 3, 2026 · via siliconangle.com