Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2020. Read them in this 12th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
By Stephen Ritter, Chief Technology Officer, Mitek
Data Privacy and Deepfake Trends in 2020
With data breaches making headlines on a regular basis, consumers are demanding more control over their personal information. And, while new identity regulations such as REAL-ID will help to preserve the integrity of identities in the real world, the public is having to question the reliability of new data and information being presented to them in the digital one. Increasingly-realistic false identities and deepfakes are blurring the lines between reality and fiction, and both individuals and businesses alike will need to remain vigilant to detect potentially dangerous false information as it spreads.
Enterprises around the world will increasingly look to self-sovereign identity as a solution for personal data privacy and ownership
Consumers’ concern for the privacy of their data is especially important as biometric data becomes a potential new target. Businesses will therefore need to invest in technologies which provide users with ownership of their own data, potentially through new blockchain networks which can be shared between banks, credit unions and other major financial institutions.
When sensitive information is stored on a decentralized blockchain network, that data becomes far more difficult for hackers to obtain, and empowers users to act as the gatekeepers of their information rather than sharing data with each financial institution separately for any transactions – giving the consumer control of their digital identity.
There will be a last-minute scramble to meet REAL-ID compliance by the October 2020 deadline
Just the thought of standing in line at the DMV is enough to send most people running, and that means consumers will put it off until the last minute. Unfortunately, that also means people who either put off the update or who aren’t aware of the deadline at all may be in for an unpleasant surprise next year.
To help cut down on those expected issues, government agencies, airlines and any other groups requiring REAL-ID certification to access their facilities will need to get the message out to the public starting early in 2020 through text, email and even social media – any method that consumers will actually read to learn what REAL-ID entails and how to meet the upcoming deadline.
Deepfakes will take center-stage in the 2020 election as real identity becomes harder to verify
AI and deep learning algorithms improved at an astonishing rate in the last year, and are now being used to create highly sophisticated deepfake videos. As more users gain access to this technology, it raises the risk of deepfakes being used to generate false videos of political candidates being made to say or do almost anything, and these videos can be produced in near real-time.
That risk is further amplified by how quickly video content is spread on social media networks, and as we’ve seen in the past, it typically takes some time for companies to remove deepfake content from their platforms. While there have been no document attempts at any legitimate political interference using these technologies, the methods and sophistication at which false information can be spread is continuing to grow, and voters will need to remain wary of where and how they get information.
Likewise, social media companies and the businesses behind video-alteration technologies will need to take additional steps to ensure that false information is not being spread using their platforms.
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About the Author
In addition to driving the development of Mitek’s award-winning mobile deposit, mobile image capture technology and ID card verification solutions, Stephen Ritter oversees the company’s computer vision and scientific team at Mitek Labs. He has more than 25 years of experience in machine learning, security, cloud and biometric technologies, and brings to the team an innovative source of technical leadership and expertise.
Prior to Mitek, Stephen served as SVP of Engineering and Research for Emotient, which was acquired by Apple. He played a pivotal role in the development of Emotient’s groundbreaking facial biometrics services, leading the product architecture and development of the industry-first technology. He’s also held CTO and engineering lead roles with Cypher Genomics, Websense and McAfee. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive Science from the University of California, San Diego, and has authored eight patents.
