Title: IRS abandons facial recognition plan after firestorm of criticism

URL Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/irs-idme-face-scans/

Published Time: 2022-02-07T19:13:44.989Z

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# IRS abandons facial recognition plan after firestorm of criticism

The agency had planned to require taxpayers send video scans of their face to a private company starting this summer

Updated February 7, 2022 More than**4 years ago**

8 min

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The IRS sys it will stop using facial recognition technology to authenticate people who create online accounts after the practice came under criticism from privacy advocates and lawmakers. (Susan Walsh/AP)

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By [Drew Harwell](https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/drew-harwell/)

The Internal Revenue Service has [abandoned its plan](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/01/27/irs-face-scans/) to require millions of Americans to submit to a facial recognition check through a private company to access their online tax accounts following a [firestorm of criticism](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/irs-gsa-id-facial-recogntion/) from privacy advocates and members of Congress.

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