Program poses possible threats to taxpayer privacy
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, today sought fresh answers on the status of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) controversial facial identification program.
“I write to request information to better inform the Congress and taxpayers about the status of your company’s contract to provide identity verification services to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As you are aware, there have been privacy and security concerns raised with respect to ID.me’s verification of taxpayer identities on behalf of the IRS,” Chairman Pascrell writes ID.me CEO Brad Hall on possible threats to American taxpayers’ privacy.
Recently, the IRS announced that, starting this summer, all taxpayers would have to verify their identity using ID.me to create online accounts. Subsequently, the IRS, on February 7, 2022, stated that it was going to “transition away” from “using a third-party service for facial recognition” to verify taxpayers’ identities, raising questions about the future role of ID.me in IRS identity verification efforts.
As chairman, Pascrell has focused repeatedly on oversight and reform of the IRS. On February 8, 2022, Pascrell convened a hearing with the National Taxpayer Advocate to discuss the IRS ID program and other possible challenges for taxpayers in the 2022 filing season.
The text of Chairman Pascrell’s letter is below.
February 18, 2022
Mr. Blake Hall
Chief Executive Officer
ID.me
8280 Greensboro Drive
McLean, VA 22012
Dear Mr. Hall,
I write to request information to better inform the Congress and taxpayers about the status of your company’s contract to provide identity verification services to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As you are aware, there have been privacy and security concerns raised with respect to ID.me’s verification of taxpayer identities on behalf of the IRS.
Recently, the IRS announced that, starting this summer, all taxpayers would have to verify their identity using ID.me to create online accounts. The IRS, on February 7, 2022, stated that it was going to “transition away” from “using a third-party service for facial recognition” to verify taxpayers’ identities. On February 8, 2022, ID.me announced a new option to verify identity without the use of automated facial recognition technology to allow for “secure and equitable access” to government agencies. Please provide answers to the following questions related to this announcement:
1.What is each step of the process for taxpayers to verify their identities without the use of facial recognition technology?
2.How long will verification take under this process?
3.How many agents are available by video to verify taxpayers?
4.How many ID.me offices are available around the country to establish in-person verification? Please provide a list of offices by state.
5.How does the data or information that can be deleted by taxpayers under the new option compare with the deletion when automated facial recognition technology is or was used?
6.What steps must taxpayers take to have information deleted?
7.How does the data or information retained by ID.me under the new option compare with the retention when automated facial recognition technology is or was used?
8.If data is deleted by taxpayers, does that mean no information pertaining to such taxpayers is retained by ID.me?
9.Is this new option compliant with current National Institute of Standards and Technology standards?
In addition to the information above, I am interested in learning the status of the contract to provide services for the IRS. The IRS entered a contract on June 11, 2021, for $86 million with a potential end date of June 10, 2023. With respect to this contract, please indicate:
1.What services are currently being performed and what are the transactional costs for verifying identities without using facial recognition technology?
2.How much of the total contract amount remains available?
3.When do you anticipate the $86 million will be fully spent?
4.What discussions, if any, have taken place with respect to performing services under an extension of the contract?
Please respond to the questions above in writing by March 2, 2022. Thank you for your continued willingness to address questions raised by this Subcommittee.
Sincerely,
Original source can be found here.
