IRS to adopt Login.gov as user authentication tool

The Internal Revenue Service has committed to Login.gov as a user authentication tool after earlier this month saying it would abandon the use of a commercial tool that featured third-party facial recognition technology.

In a statement on Monday, the Treasury Department said it is working with the General Services Administration to achieve the “security standards and scale” required to adopt the platform.

It comes after the IRS earlier this month announced a plan to move away from using a third-party service for facial recognition to authenticate taxpayers creating new online accounts. The agency announced in an earlier release its decision to move on from using the technology following revelations that contractor ID.me uses powerful one-to-many facial recognition technology.

However, Treasury walked that back to some degree, saying it would allow taxpayers the option to verify their identity automatically through ID.me’s tool if they choose. New requirements are in place to ensure images provided are deleted for the account being created.

“While this short-term solution is in place for this year’s filing season, the IRS will work closely with partners across government to roll out login.gov as an authentication tool,” IRS said.

While Login.gov is not expected to be ready in time for use by taxpayers during the current tax season, users are now able to sign up for IRS online accounts without the use of any biometric data. Any previously collected biometric data will also be deleted over the next few weeks, according to IRS.

Privacy advocates say that various types of facial recognition pose a threat to consumers. In addition to numerous studies demonstrating the technology is less accurate on non-White skin tones, amassing biometric data can prove a huge security risk.

“This is consistent with the IRS’s commitment earlier this month to transition away from the requirement for taxpayers creating an IRS online account to provide a selfie to a third-party service to help authenticate their identity,” IRS said in a statement. “Taxpayers will have the option of verifying their identity during a live, virtual interview with agents; no biometric data – including facial recognition – will be required if taxpayers choose to authenticate their identity through a virtual interview.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that IRS — despite an earlier announcement by the agency — retained a relationship with ID.me, giving taxpayers the option to use the platform to verify their identity.