Proof Points. Week of October 14, 2024.

At Proof (formerly Notarize), we describe ourselves as a product and policy led company. Key developments occur every week as the American economy continues its rapid pace of digitization. Below is a curated list of updates from last week.

Artificial Intelligence:

• The Conversation: When AI plays favorites: How algorithmic bias shapes the hiring process. “A public interest group filed a U.S. federal complaint against artificial intelligence hiring tool, HireVue, in 2019 for deceptive hiring practices. The software, which has been adopted by hundreds of companies, favored certain facial expressions, speaking styles and tones of voice, disproportionately disadvantaged minority candidates.”
• The Independent: Tech CEOs Altman, Nadella, Pichai and others join government AI safety board led by DHS' Mayorkas. “The CEOs of leading U.S. technology companies are joining a new artificial intelligence safety board to advise the federal government on how to protect the nation's critical services from ‘AI-related disruptions.’”
• Fox News: AI sector frustrated by Congress' slow pace keeping up with the advanced tech. “People close to the growing artificial intelligence (AI) sector say the industry is frustrated with the pace at which Congress is handling the issue... AI experts and those who work with the industry are particularly concerned with Election Day being less than a month away. With sophisticated AI technology becoming more accessible, instances of "deepfakes" and other misinformation are growing prevalent on social media, particularly as it relates to politics.”

Digital Identity/Identity Proofing:

• Mobile ID World: GSA Introduces Facial Recognition for Login.gov Sign-In. "The General Services Administration (GSA) has announced the general availability of facial recognition technology for Login.gov, its single sign-on platform for accessing federal services. This new identity verification option meets the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) 800-63-3 Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) standard, which requires either remote or in-person proofing. By adopting this technology, GSA aims to enhance security and accuracy in verifying the identities of individuals accessing federal services.”
• Secure Technology Alliance: Identity & Access Forum Explores Differences Between Digital IDs and Digital Identities in Education Brief. “For billions of people across the globe, online interactions and digital transactions are an important part of everyday life. The anonymity of these exchanges has made trusting and verifying end users crucial to combat fraud and misuse, particularly when digital identities and digital identifiers (such as mobile driver’s licenses and digital IDs) are used to access these services.”
• ID Tech: No Bias Found in New Zealand’s Biometric Identity Check System, Clearing Path for Wider use. “New Zealand’s government has cleared the Identity Check facial recognition system of significant racial bias, following extensive testing that represents the first major assessment of bias in biometric algorithms for New Zealand’s diverse ethnic groups.”

NIST:

• ID Tech: Luxand Marks NIST Testing Success, Launches Upgraded SDK. “Luxand, Inc. is celebrating the latest success of its FaceSDK in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT).”
• Biometric Update: QazSmartVision shows out in NIST face biometrics, image quality testing. “Biometrics providers from in and around the Middle East are taking a more prominent place in facial recognition evaluations by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Developers from Kazakhstan and the UAE are among the accuracy leaders, while a Turkish developer has joined the program for the October 7 update of the ongoing Face Recognition Technology Evaluation (FRTE) 1:1 Verification.”
• Biometric Update: Age estimation leaders emerge in NIST evaluation. "The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) has released its latest Face Analysis Technology Evaluation for Age Estimation & Verification (FATE AEV) – ‘an ongoing evaluation of software algorithms that inspect photos of a face to produce an age estimate,’ which measures the accuracy and computational efficiency of algorithms.”
• GAO: Identity Verification: GSA Needs to Address NIST Guidance, Technical Issues, and Lessons Learned. “The public increasingly relies on the internet to access government services and benefits. The General Services Administration launched Login.gov to give federal agencies a secure, reliable way to verify users' identities... Agencies using Login.gov said it offers many benefits, such as improved user experiences and reduced costs. But technical issues aren't being resolved in a timely way—potentially delaying further adoption throughout the government.... Also, GSA hasn't completed work to ensure that Login.gov aligns with federal guidelines for verifying identities digitally.”
• Biometric Update: Key US lawmakers ask for more info on NIST’s Digital Identity Guidelines. “Three U.S. lawmakers with sway over federal technology policies asked the director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to provide them the findings of NIST’s “digital identity and face recognition technology work,” and to explain how NIST’s Digital Identity Guidelines will ‘alleviate concerns about the reliability, accuracy, and security of these technologies.’”

Digitization of Government:

• OECD: G7 Compendium of Digital Government Services. “This report presents examples of digital government services, including approaches to digital public infrastructure, provided by G7 members and Ukraine, aimed at improving access to and enhancing the user experience of public services. It also explores key enablers, such as government strategies and leadership, along with human-centered approaches to designing digital government services that prioritizes users and their rights, needs and preferences. Prepared at the request of the Italian 2024 G7 Presidency and G7 members, the report shared insights that can guide future initiatives within the G7 and other international fora on digital government. The report was officially launched at the G7 Digital and Technology Ministerial Meeting in Como, Italy, on October 15, 2024.”
• Accenture: Accenture Federal Services Launches ‘Federal AI Solution Factory’ with Google Public Sector. “Accenture Federal Services has launched the ‘Federal AI Solution Factory’ with Google Public Sector's Rapid Innovation Team (RIT) to speed the prototyping and piloting of AI-powered solutions for federal agencies.”
• Perkins Coie: New White House Requirements for Government Procurement of AI Technologies: Key Considerations for Contractors. “The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently released Memorandum M-24-18, which directs how federal agencies will procure artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. M-24-18 and its accompanying fact sheet, issued on September 24, 2024, are the latest step in a series of initiatives to encourage agencies to procure AI systems while mitigating risks associated with AI’s potential effect on safety, privacy, and security. M-24-18 builds on OMB’s March 2024 AI procurement memo (M-24-10) implementing President Biden’s October 2023 Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence 1140 (EO 1140), which called for government-wide requirements on federal agencies for AI governance, innovation, and risk management.”
• NextGov FCW: Why governments are ‘particularly well-positioned’ to offer identity validation. “According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, governments that use its guidance to offer attribute validation services may have to rely less often on commercial data for identity.”
• The Keyword: Google.org announces $15 million in AI training grants for the government workforce. “A $10 million grant to the nonpartisan nonprofit the Partnership for Public Service will help establish the Center for Federal AI, a hub launching in Spring 2025 that is dedicated to cultivating AI leadership and talent within the federal government. At the Center, everyone from interns to executives can learn how to use AI responsibly in their government agencies. As part of this, the Center will offer a federal AI leadership program, federal AI internship program, and initiatives to foster a vibrant learning community for federal AI leaders.”
• FedScoop: Why agencies need to focus on modernizing public interaction over infrastructure. “Federal agencies have made great strides in modernizing their digital infrastructure, tapping the power of the cloud and switching to software-as-a-service applications. Yet, by many measures, the aim of those efforts — to improve the public’s and employees’ digital experience — has fallen short of getting agencies where they need to be.”

Deed Fraud/Notary Fraud:

• WHIO TV 7: Victim who had house stolen in quit claim deed fraud details frustrating fight. “More victims are coming forward after the Montgomery County Prosecutor announced charges involving stolen houses. Robin Mobley has been living a nightmare since she found out someone filed fraudulent paperwork and obtained legal ownership of her home two years ago.”
• 2 News: 2 criminally charged for quit claim deed fraud. “Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. announced Thursday afternoon that two individuals used forged quit claim deeds to take ownership of at least three homes in the Miami Valley. Now, they are behind bars and facing criminal charges... Diamond Deshawn Washington and Rosalyn Monique Johnson are being indicted along with their LLC, Love Has Homes.”
• Click 2 Houston: ‘I feel like I’ve been robbed’: Harris County man claims property deed transferred to stranger. “Amboree, a retired Harris County Sheriff Deputy, purchased a lot near North Freeway and North Shepherd Drive 17 years ago. He aimed to invest in his childhood neighborhood... A Harris County Clerk Real Property search confirmed his fear. Documents show he purportedly sold the lot to Adam Epstein with Southwest Regency Holdings in 2023 for $10... However, Amboree claims the signature on the documents were forged and don’t match his actual signature on his driver’s license and credit cards.”
• 2 News: Quit claim deed fraud victim fundraising to support on-going legal fees. “This weekend, community members will gather to support a victim of quit claim deed fraud... The “Who Has Your Heart” brunch fundraiser takes place Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dayton Metro Library West branch. The library is located at 300 Abbey Ave. in Dayton.”
• WCBU: Tazewell County offers new options for fighting property fraud. “Tazewell County property owners have a new tool to recover from property fraud… The county will implement a new “review and referral” system provided by Fidlar. With the new system, the Recorder of Deeds office will be able to flag fraud reported by property owners, set the transaction aside for review, contract with law enforcement and enlist the help of an administrative law judge.”

Economic Outlook/Housing Market:

• MPA: Home price growth slows, but buyers are still stuck. “Home price growth has shown signs of slowing down, but that doesn’t mean it’s any easier for buyers.... Single-family home prices increased by 5.9% from Q3 2023 to Q3 2024, a slight deceleration from the previous quarter’s 6.4% annual growth rate, according to the Fannie Mae Home Price Index (FNM-HPI).”
• Investopedia: First-Time Homebuyers Are Still Active Despite Higher Mortgage Rates. “According to Mortgage Brokers Association (MBA) data, mortgage applications declined 17% for the week ending Oct. 11. The decline comes as mortgage rates rose to their highest levels since August, with the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage reaching 6.52%. Mortgage rates have steadily increased since hitting the lowest level in two years in September.”
• MBS Newslink: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey. “The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 17% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 17% compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 26% from the previous week and was 111% higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 7% from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 7% compared with the previous week and was 7% higher than the same week one year ago.”