IRS Scraps Plans to Require Facial Recognition for Taxpayers Logging into Their Accounts

The Internal Revenue Service is scrapping a plan to require people to verify their identities using facial recognition software to access their information on the agency’s website. 

The IRS previously announced it planned to implement a new verification process that required taxpayers to upload a photo ID and then take a video selfie for comparison. It would be needed for users looking to set up an account that would grant them access to prior returns or information about the child care tax credit. 

The IRS had contracted with ID.me, a company that uses facial-recognition software to verify identity. The agency is not alone; a report from Government Accountability Office found that 18 federal agencies use some sort of facial recognition technology. 

Amid backlash from lawmakers and privacy groups, the agency said in a statement on Monday that it will move away from using the facial recognition technology and will come up with other ways to verify taxpayers’ identities.

“The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we understand the concerns that have been raised,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig stated. “Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options that do not involve facial recognition.”

A spokesperson for the IRS told CBS MoneyWatch that the agency previously lacked the funding necessary to implement other safeguards. 

For now, taxpayers signing up for an account with the IRS will need to use ID.me for verification. Users who already have an account will use their established logins until this summer.