IRS – Looking to Replace ID.me Due to Privacy Concerns

A new Bloomberg report says that the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are looking for a replacement for ID.me after privacy concerns with the agency. 

Alexandra LaMann a, a spokesperson for the IRS, said that they’re always looking for ways to make the filing process more secure since they believe in protecting taxpayers’ privacy.

LaManna pointed out that taxpayers don’t have to file taxes online if they have safety concerns. She added that the IRS doesn’t plan on establishing their own software for this purpose because of the lack of funding.

IRS first mentioned ID.me last year when they announced they’d require people who file taxes online to identify with facial recognition. As people file taxes online, they have to submit a video of themselves to confirm their identity.

The IRS still hasn’t rolled out this program. It is expected to happen in the summer. But, the government already uses ID.me to verify people for Veterans Affairs and Social Security benefits.

However, some people who used the software claimed that they were denied benefits or put on hold because of problems with the software.

At first, ID.me said they match a user’s face with images of the same face, but it later became apparent that they match faces against a larger database. CEO Blake Hall admitted that this is true.

It made security concerns higher, and many politicians, civil rights advocates, digital rights advocates, and regular citizens spoke out against the use of the software.