Facebook has acquired Confirm.io, a company specialized in checking ID cards. The company makes software that combines a scan of an ID card and facial recognition to verify the identity of a person. Facebook plans to integrate the technology in its social network, according to sources.
Confirm.io will cease operations and the entire company will become part of Facebook. The software of Confirm.io is e.g used by food delivery service Doordash, which verified the identity of its delivery people with it.
Facebook will use the technology developed by Confirm.io to 'keep its users safe', according to the social network. It's unclear how this will work.
In theory the software can be used to verify the identity of Facebook users. Currently, victims of hacks can sent their ID cards to Facebook, after which a Facebook employee manually verifies the identity, so the original owner can regain access to the account.
It's also possible that the software is used to verify the identity of advertisers. The company was recently under fire after Russian organizations advertised on the social network during the American elections.
