President Joe Biden‘s upcoming anti-identity theft executive order should concentrate on criminal syndicates illegally applying for pandemic unemployment benefits in multiple U.S. states, according to a group focused on breaking down digital barriers to distributing public assistance.
The group is urging White House officials to move away from emphasizing individual identity checks as a way to stem fraud and to ensure that identity verification technology, such as facial recognition, doesn’t create obstacles for those seeking jobless aid.
“When it comes to ensuring that public benefits are spent wisely, there can be an overfocus on the individual as the problem,” said Marcus Courtney, who co-leads the Unemployment Insurance Tech Coordinating Coalition. Identity verification technology has become “a disappointing obstacle” for people seeking unemployment relief, Courtney said.