#digital identity verification solutions

[rpacpc]

Why Digital Identity Verification Solutions are Essential in 2024

In the year 2024, digital identity verification solutions have become important for many reasons, affecting various industries like finance, healthcare, e-commerce and government services greatly here’s why they are important.

i]. Enhancing Security And Fraud Prevention

Digital identity verification solutions help reduce the risks associated with identity theft and fraud. With the growing number of cyberattacks, traditional methods of surveillance are no longer valid. Advanced technologies such as biometrics, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain provide robust security measures that significantly reduce fraudulent activities.

ii]. Compliance With The Law

Businesses and organizations must comply with stringent regulations and standards, such as GDPR, CCPA, and AML/KYC requirements. Digital identity verification ensures that these organizations comply with the necessary regulatory framework, avoiding costly fines and reputational damage. Automated verification processes can streamline compliance operations, ensuring that all required checks are performed without human error.

iii]. User Features And Experience

Customers demand a seamless and frictionless experience. Digital identity verification solutions streamline the onboarding process, enabling instant verification without the need for physical documentation or personal verification. This not only increases customer satisfaction but also reduces enrollment dropout rates.

iv]. Scalability And Efficiency

As businesses grow, the need to effectively scale their operations becomes increasingly important. Digital identity verification solutions can process large numbers of verification requests quickly and accurately, making them ideal for fast-growing businesses Automation and machine learning algorithms reduce the time and resources needed for manual verification, allowing companies to focus focus on the main activities.

v]. Global Access

In a globalized world, companies interact with customers and partners from diverse backgrounds. Digital identity verification solutions facilitate cross-border communication by providing a standardized and universally accepted method of identity verification management. This builds confidence and creates new opportunities for international business.

vi]. Identity Theft Prevention

Identity theft remains a major concern in the digital age. Digital identity verification solutions, especially those that use biometrics, multifactor authentication and AI, provide additional security, making it harder for criminals to impersonate someone else.

vii]. Improving Public Health And Safety

Digital identity verification plays an important role in ensuring public health and safety in the wake of the global health crisis. For example, ensuring that individuals who are vaccinated stay healthy or practice health care helps prevent the misuse of medical products.

viii]. Supporting Digital Transformation

As organizations continue their digital transformation journey, integrating digital identity authentication solutions will become essential. These solutions support various digital initiatives, such as online banking, telemedicine and remote services, to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to critical information and services.

Conclusion

Digital identity verification solutions are not a choice but a necessity in 2024. They provide enhanced security, ensure compliance, improve user experience, provide scalability, enable global connectivity, prevent identity theft edge, support public health, and facilitate digital transformation. As technology continues to evolve, so will the channels and importance of digital identity verification, making it a staple of modern business and everyday life.

[idefy]

Estonia’s Blockchain-Based Digital Identity System: A Model for the World

Estonia is a global leader in the field of digital government, and its blockchain-based digital identity verification system is one of its most innovative and successful initiatives. The system, known as ID, allows Estonian citizens and residents to use their digital ID to access a wide range of government and private sector services, including e-voting, e-banking, e-healthcare, and e-business. ID is based on a public key infrastructure (PKI) system, which uses digital certificates to authenticate users and their devices. Each ID card is equipped with a unique digital certificate that is issued by the Estonian government.

[mayurpandey]

https://www.rupeeseed.com/ekyc-integration-solutions-a-game-changer-for-brokers-in-digital-world/

Ekyc Integration Solutions : A Game Changer For Brokers In Digital World

Rupeeseed's eKYC integration solution for brokers is secured with state-of-the-art security features, meticulously engineered to safeguard customer data while ensuring a smooth and seamless onboarding process. Read this blog to know more!

[reginap5]

Sweden's Exemplary Anti-Corruption Stand: A Deep Dive into KYC and AML Practices

In the realm of global integrity and transparency, Sweden stands tall as the paragon of virtue, earning the coveted title of the world's least corrupt country, as per the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Behind this remarkable achievement lies Sweden's unwavering commitment to combat corruption through robust Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws, particularly focusing on stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols. These protocols require financial institutions to verify the identity of their customers and any transactions they make. Furthermore, Sweden has implemented measures to protect whistleblowers and to ensure that any instances of corruption are investigated and prosecuted.

The Pillars of Trust: KYC in Sweden

Sweden's success in maintaining its reputation for integrity is deeply rooted in its proactive approach to KYC. The KYC process, an integral part of financial and business operations, plays a pivotal role in preventing corruption and money laundering by ensuring thorough identification and verification of customers. Sweden has invested heavily in its KYC system, building a comprehensive database of customer information. It has also implemented strict regulations requiring companies to report suspicious activity to the government. As a result, Sweden has become a world leader in the fight against financial crime.

KYC Solutions: More than a Mandate

KYC in Sweden goes beyond mere compliance; it serves as a comprehensive solution to safeguard the financial ecosystem. The emphasis on accurate customer identification, risk assessment, and ongoing monitoring establishes a formidable defense against illicit financial activities. Sweden's KYC system also promotes customer trust and increases customer convenience. By streamlining the onboarding process, customers can easily open an account and start trading. Additionally, the KYC system provides customers with better control over their money, as they can easily monitor their account activity.

Compliance at the Core

Sweden's commitment to compliance is evident in its KYC practices. Striking a delicate balance between stringent regulations and practical implementation, the country has fostered an environment where businesses operate with transparency and adhere to the highest ethical standards. Sweden's KYC regulations are designed to prevent money laundering and financial crime. The country has put in place a comprehensive set of measures, including customer due diligence, to ensure that businesses comply with the law. Additionally, Sweden has implemented a reporting system that allows authorities to track suspicious activity in real time.

AML Laws in Sweden: A Global Benchmark

Sweden's AML laws are not just a legal requirement but a testament to its commitment to global financial integrity. The country's legal framework provides a solid foundation for detecting and preventing money laundering activities, contributing significantly to its stellar position on the CPI. Sweden also has a strong commitment to international cooperation and information sharing, which helps to further strengthen the AML legal framework. Additionally, the country has implemented strict regulations on financial institutions, including requirements to report suspicious transactions.

KYC Service Providers – KYC Sweden Leading the Way

Sweden has emerged as a frontrunner in KYC solutions, with a focus on providing efficient and reliable services. KYC service providers in Sweden leverage advanced technologies and methodologies to offer the best-in-class identification and verification processes, setting the gold standard for global counterparts. Swedish KYC providers also provide the highest level of security, protecting customer data and complying with all local regulations. Furthermore, Swedish KYC providers offer a wide range of services, including onboarding, identity verification, and fraud prevention.

KYC for Swedish Businesses: A Necessity, not an Option

For businesses operating in Sweden, KYC is not merely a regulatory checkbox but a fundamental practice. The stringent KYC requirements ensure that businesses are well-acquainted with their clients, mitigating the risk of involvement in any illicit or corrupt activities. It also helps to protect the rights of customers, as it ensures that they are aware of who is handling their data. KYC also helps businesses to identify any potential risks associated with doing business with a particular customer.

Global Impact: KYC Sweden's Ripple Effect

Sweden's commitment to KYC and AML has a ripple effect beyond its borders. Businesses operating globally, including Swedish enterprises with international footprints, benefit from the robust KYC measures in place. This not only safeguards these businesses but also contributes to the overall global effort against corruption. As a result, other countries and organizations are encouraged to implement strong KYC and AML measures, which help to create a safer business environment for everyone. Additionally, these measures help to protect consumers from malicious actors and financial crimes.

Conclusion

Sweden's standing as the world's least corrupt country is a testament to its meticulous implementation of KYC and AML laws. By placing compliance, integrity, and transparency at the forefront of its financial practices, Sweden has set a precedent for nations worldwide. As businesses and governments grapple with the challenges of maintaining trust and financial integrity, KYC Sweden's model of KYC and AML serves as an exemplary beacon guiding the way forward. The integration of KYC solutions is not just a legal requirement for Sweden; it is a proactive strategy that continues to fortify its position as a global leader in the fight against corruption.

[ekychubofficial]

KYC API provider in India

✅ Ekychub – India’s Trusted KYC API Provider for Seamless Digital Verification

In an age where digital onboarding and instant customer verification are the norm, businesses need a secure and scalable solution to manage KYC (Know Your Customer) processes. From fintech startups to large enterprises, verifying customer identity quickly and accurately has become essential — not just for compliance, but for trust and fraud prevention.

Ekychub is a leading KYC API provider in India, offering real-time, secure, and paperless identity verification APIs tailored to businesses of all sizes.

🔍 Why KYC Matters More Than Ever

KYC is not just a compliance requirement — it’s a frontline defense against fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. Whether you're onboarding new users, merchants, agents, or employees, verifying who they are is critical.

Manual KYC processes are slow, expensive, and prone to errors. Ekychub solves this by providing automated, digital KYC APIs that verify documents and identities in seconds.

⚙️ Ekychub’s KYC API Services

Ekychub provides a suite of verification APIs, including:

🔹 PAN Card Verification API

Instantly verify PAN numbers and match the holder’s name for financial onboarding.

🔹 Aadhaar KYC API

Verify Aadhaar via OTP-based eKYC, XML, or QR code — UIDAI-compliant and secure.

🔹 GSTIN Verification API

Validate GST numbers and fetch business details for vendor and partner verification.

🔹 UPI Verification API

Verify UPI IDs and account holder names in real-time to prevent fraud.

🔹 Bank Account Verification API

Confirm bank account ownership by matching account number with account holder name.

⚡ Key Features of Ekychub KYC APIs

✅ Real-Time Identity Checks

🔐 Secure & Encrypted Data Handling

🔄 Bulk Verification Support

💼 Business-Grade Uptime & Scalability

📘 Developer-Friendly API Docs

🆓 Free Trial Available

💡 Who Should Use Ekychub KYC APIs?

Ekychub’s KYC APIs are designed for:

Fintech platforms & neobanks

Payment gateways & wallets

Lending & insurance apps

eCommerce & marketplaces

Logistics, gaming & workforce apps

If your business deals with users, customers, vendors, or partners — KYC verification is critical.

🚀 Why Choose Ekychub?

🇮🇳 100% India-compliant verification solutions

🧠 Easy API integration with quick onboarding

🕒 Reduce verification time from days to seconds

🛡️ Prevent fraud & stay audit-ready

💰 Affordable plans for startups & enterprises

🔗 Start Verifying Instantly

With Ekychub, KYC is no longer a bottleneck — it’s a competitive advantage. Streamline onboarding, reduce fraud, and stay compliant with our powerful KYC APIs.

[ongrid000]

Seamless Digital Address Verification with OnGrid

The image showcases OnGrid’s digital address verification process, highlighting a verified candidate with their name and address. A worker in safety gear stands confidently, representing seamless onboarding for frontline and field-based roles. The interface confirms successful verification, emphasizing reliability and efficiency in identity confirmation for hiring, lending, and user onboarding across India. Learn more at .

[onlinedocsolutions]

Need Official Documents? Get Them Fast & Hassle-Free!

Post Copy:

Looking for legit, high-quality documents without the hassle? Instant Doc Solutions provides:

✅ Registered Driver’s Licenses

✅ Passports & ID Cards

✅ Legal Contracts & Agreements

✅ Citizenship & Residency Documents

✅ Custom Document Solutions

🚀 SPECIAL OFFER: Get 10% OFF your first order with code DOC10 at checkout!

Why waste time? Visit instantdocsolutions.com and get your documents quickly & securely.

Need a custom request? Send us a message—we’re here to help!

#driverslicense #passport #legalforms #businesssolutions #IDcards #fastservice #documents

[techtoio]

Blockchain Is More Than Just Bitcoin: Surprising Uses in 2024

Introduction: The Expanding Horizons of Blockchain Technology. In recent years, blockchain technology has captivated the world’s imagination far beyond its cryptocurrency roots. While Bitcoin might have introduced the masses to blockchain, the potential applications of this technology stretch across various industries, reshaping how we approach security, transparency, and efficiency. In 2024, blockchain is proving itself in arenas few had anticipated, offering innovative solutions to age-old problems and opening new avenues for data management. Read to Continue...

[idefy]

How AI and ML Are Improving the Accuracy and Efficiency of Digital Identification Solutions

Digital identification (ID) solutions are becoming increasingly important in today’s digital world. They allow us to prove our identity online in a secure and convenient way. However, traditional digital ID solutions can be time-consuming and cumbersome to use, and they may not always be accurate or secure. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are rapidly transforming the digital ID landscape. AI and ML-powered digital ID solutions can improve accuracy, efficiency, and security in a number of ways. AI and ML algorithms can be trained on large datasets of identity documents and biometric data to learn the unique patterns and characteristics that distinguish one person from another.

[mayurpandey]

Rupeeseed's eKYC integration solution for brokers is secured with state-of-the-art security features, meticulously engineered to safeguard customer data while ensuring a smooth and seamless onboarding process. Read this blog to know more!

[reginap5]

Five Tips for Enhancing Your KYC Compliance and AML Procedures

In today's rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, maintaining robust Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance processes is more crucial than ever for businesses. These processes go beyond mere regulatory requirements; they form the cornerstone of secure operations, global expansion, customer trust, and data-driven insights. In this article, we'll delve into five essential tips to optimize your KYC processes and ensure AML compliance.

Understanding KYC and AML Compliance

KYC, short for Know Your Customer, refers to the practice of verifying and assessing the identities and risk levels of your customers. This procedure is vital for adhering to regulatory mandates and mitigating risks associated with financial crimes like money laundering and fraud. KYC plays a pivotal role in maintaining a secure business environment and building trust with clients.

Non-compliance with KYC regulations can lead to severe repercussions such as hefty fines, legal actions, reputational damage, and business disruptions. Therefore, adhering to KYC regulations is not just a necessity; it's a protective measure for your business.

1. Screening Against Current Lists

Efficient KYC begins with screening customers against relevant, up-to-date lists. Utilizing comprehensive KYC solutions equipped with advanced technology and access to databases containing sanction lists, politically exposed persons (PEPs) databases, and other watchlists enhances the accuracy of your screening processes.

By incorporating these KYC screening tools, you minimize risks and ensure compliance while reducing false positives, which ultimately saves valuable time and resources.

2. Integration with Risk Assessment

Integrating KYC into your broader risk assessment framework is crucial for maintaining an effective process. Customer information can change rapidly, necessitating continuous monitoring. Regularly reviewing and updating KYC data enables you to adapt to shifting risk profiles and make informed decisions.

Furthermore, integrating KYC data into your risk assessment facilitates a seamless link to ongoing due diligence processes. For instance, if a customer's risk profile changes due to a new business venture, you can proactively adjust your risk mitigation strategies.

3. Establishing Scalability

Keeping up with new clients and evolving compliance requirements requires a flexible and scalable KYC process. Onboarding new clients, regardless of their type, should be a consistent and streamlined process rather than a burden.

Investing in a scalable KYC solution capable of handling increasing data volumes and simplifying onboarding processes is key. Such a solution enables instant screening and efficient onboarding, allowing you to focus on growth without hindrances.

4. Preparing for Regulatory Challenges

The landscape of AML and KYC compliance is continually evolving, with regulators worldwide tightening their grip on financial institutions. Preparing for these challenges by embracing technology-driven KYC solutions can lead to automation, enhanced accuracy, and improved customer experiences.

Automated KYC solutions provide the means to avoid the hefty fines and regulatory scrutiny associated with non-compliance. Staying ahead of regulatory changes through technology-driven approaches is a strategic move for safeguarding your business.

5. Seeking Expert Assistance

In the face of complex regulatory requirements and the ever-changing landscape of AML and KYC compliance, seeking expert assistance can prove invaluable. Companies like KYC Sweden offer AML platforms that seamlessly integrate KYC responses with transaction monitoring.

This integration allows for quick identification of unusual transaction behavior, reducing the risk of being unwittingly involved in money laundering or terrorist financing. Outsourcing transaction monitoring to experts through a Managed Service can streamline your compliance efforts.

In conclusion, optimizing your KYC and AML processes is not only about regulatory compliance but also about safeguarding your business and fostering trust with clients. By following these five tips, incorporating technology-driven solutions, and staying prepared for regulatory changes, you can streamline your KYC and AML compliance, ensuring a secure and successful business journey.

Is your business prepared for the potential consequences of regulatory audits? Have you integrated transaction monitoring with your KYC processes? If you seek further guidance on these crucial matters, don't hesitate to contact us at KYC Sweden.

[payblogs]

DARK SMS - DRAGON+

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, maintaining privacy and security while communicating is more important than ever. Introducing DarkSMS, a cutting-edge virtual SMS platform designed to streamline your messaging experience without compromising your personal information. With our innovative virtual number service, users can receive SMS messages securely and anonymously, eliminating the risks associated with sharing private phone numbers. Whether you’re signing up for online services, verifying accounts, or simply looking to keep your communication confidential, DarkSMS has got you covered. 

Virtual SMS

Virtual SMS refers to the messaging service that enables users to send and receive text messages through a virtual phone number rather than a traditional mobile line. This service is particularly useful for individuals and businesses looking to maintain privacy while communicating or verifying accounts.

One of the key advantages of using virtual sms is the ability to receive SMS without revealing your personal phone number. This is especially beneficial for online transactions, sign-ups for apps, or any situation where you might need to provide a phone number but want to protect your privacy.

Furthermore, virtual numbers can be easily managed from a web-based platform, allowing users to organize and store messages effectively. Many service providers offer features such as message forwarding, where received SMS messages can be redirected to your email or other platforms, ensuring you never miss an important notification.

In addition to privacy and convenience, virtual SMS services are often cost-effective. They eliminate the need for extra SIM cards or mobile contracts, allowing users to only pay for the services they actually use. This flexibility makes virtual number services highly attractive for startups and individuals working from remote locations.

As businesses increasingly adopt digital communication strategies, integrating virtual SMS into their operations can enhance customer interaction and improve engagement through instant messaging capabilities.

Virtual Number Service

A virtual number service offers a practical solution for individuals and businesses looking to maintain privacy while receiving communications. By using a virtual number, you can receive SMS messages without exposing your personal phone number. This feature is especially useful for those engaged in online transactions, such as e-commerce, as it safeguards against unwanted spam and protects your identity.

One of the key advantages of a virtual number service is its capability to function seamlessly alongside your primary phone line. Users can receive messages from various platforms effectively, whether it's for verification purposes, two-factor authentication, or simply keeping in touch with clients. The convenience of managing multiple numbers through a single device cannot be overstated.

With options to select numbers from different geographic locations, this service caters to users looking to establish a local presence in different markets. Moreover, these numbers can be set up quickly and easily, providing instant access to receive SMS without lengthy contracts or commitments.

To optimize your experience with virtual SMS and virtual number services, consider features like call forwarding, voicemail, and the ability to choose your own number. Such functionality enhances user experience by offering flexibility in communication while maintaining professional boundaries.

Ultimately, investing in a virtual number service can significantly enhance your business's communication strategy, allowing you to receive SMS reliably while focusing on building relationships with your clients.

Receive SMS

Receiving SMS through a virtual number is a convenient service that allows users to get text messages without needing a physical SIM card. This is particularly beneficial for individuals and businesses looking for privacy or those who wish to avoid exposing their personal phone numbers.

The process is straightforward: once you obtain a virtual number through a reliable virtual number service, you can start receiving sms messages. This service is essential for various reasons, including:

  Account verification codes: Many online platforms use SMS to send verification codes. A virtual number allows you to receive these codes securely.

  Business communications: Companies can use virtual SMS to receive client inquiries or feedback without revealing their primary contact numbers.

  Privacy protection: By receiving SMS through a virtual number, users can protect their personal phone numbers from spam and unwanted solicitation.

Moreover, the get SMS feature of a virtual number service ensures that you don’t miss any important messages, even if you are on the move. Messages are often stored digitally, which means you can access them anytime and anywhere.

In summary, the ability to receive SMS through a virtual number enhances both privacy and accessibility, making it a valuable tool for users in various contexts.

Get SMS

Getting SMS messages through a virtual number service has become increasingly popular due to its convenience and versatility. Whether you need to receive texts for verification purposes or want to maintain privacy while communicating, virtual SMS provides a robust solution.

With a virtual number, you can easily get sms from anywhere in the world without needing a physical SIM card. This feature is particularly beneficial for businesses that require secure communication with clients or customers, as it ensures that sensitive information remains confidential.

Here are some advantages of using a virtual number to get SMS:

Privacy Protection: Using a virtual number helps keep your personal phone number private.

Accessibility: You can receive SMS messages on multiple devices, including tablets and laptops.

Cost-Effective: Virtual SMS services typically come with lower costs than traditional SMS plans.

Global Reach: You can get SMS messages from international numbers without incurring roaming fees.

Easy Setup: Setting up a virtual number to receive SMS is straightforward and often takes just a few minutes.

In summary, leveraging a virtual number service for SMS communication allows you to manage your messages efficiently while maintaining privacy, enhancing accessibility, and reducing costs. This is particularly useful for both personal and business communications, making it a smart choice for anyone looking to streamline their SMS functions.

[mariacallous]

These days, when Nicole Yelland receives a meeting request from someone she doesn’t already know, she conducts a multi-step background check before deciding whether to accept. Yelland, who works in public relations for a Detroit-based non-profit, says she’ll run the person’s information through Spokeo, a personal data aggregator that she pays a monthly subscription fee to use. If the contact claims to speak Spanish, Yelland says, she will casually test their ability to understand and translate trickier phrases. If something doesn’t quite seem right, she’ll ask the person to join a Microsoft Teams call—with their camera on.

If Yelland sounds paranoid, that’s because she is. In January, before she started her current non-profit role, Yelland says she got roped into an elaborate scam targeting job seekers. “Now, I do the whole verification rigamarole any time someone reaches out to me,” she tells WIRED.

Digital imposter scams aren’t new; messaging platforms, social media sites, and dating apps have long been rife with fakery. In a time when remote work and distributed teams have become commonplace, professional communications channels are no longer safe, either. The same artificial intelligence tools that tech companies promise will boost worker productivity are also making it easier for criminals and fraudsters to construct fake personas in seconds.

On LinkedIn, it can be hard to distinguish a slightly touched-up headshot of a real person from a too-polished, AI-generated facsimile. Deepfake videos are getting so good that longtime email scammers are pivoting to impersonating people on live video calls. According to the US Federal Trade Commission, reports of job and employment related scams nearly tripled from 2020 to 2024, and actual losses from those scams have increased from $90 million to $500 million.

Yelland says the scammers that approached her back in January were impersonating a real company, one with a legitimate product. The “hiring manager” she corresponded with over email also seemed legit, even sharing a slide deck outlining the responsibilities of the role they were advertising. But during the first video interview, Yelland says, the scammers refused to turn their cameras on during a Microsoft Teams meeting and made unusual requests for detailed personal information, including her driver’s license number. Realizing she’d been duped, Yelland slammed her laptop shut.

These kinds of schemes have become so widespread that AI startups have emerged promising to detect other AI-enabled deepfakes, including GetReal Labs, and Reality Defender. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also runs an identity-verification startup called Tools for Humanity, which makes eye-scanning devices that capture a person’s biometric data, create a unique identifier for their identity, and store that information on the blockchain. The whole idea behind it is proving “personhood,” or that someone is a real human. (Lots of people working on blockchain technology say that blockchain is the solution for identity verification.)

But some corporate professionals are turning instead to old-fashioned social engineering techniques to verify every fishy-seeming interaction they have. Welcome to the Age of Paranoia, when someone might ask you to send them an email while you’re mid-conversation on the phone, slide into your Instagram DMs to ensure the LinkedIn message you sent was really from you, or request you text a selfie with a timestamp, proving you are who you claim to be. Some colleagues say they even share code words with each other, so they have a way to ensure they’re not being misled if an encounter feels off.

“What’s funny is, the low-fi approach works,” says Daniel Goldman, a blockchain software engineer and former startup founder. Goldman says he began changing his own behavior after he heard a prominent figure in the crypto world had been convincingly deepfaked on a video call. “It put the fear of god in me,” he says. Afterwards, he warned his family and friends that even if they hear what they believe is his voice or see him on a video call asking for something concrete—like money or an internet password—they should hang up and email him first before doing anything.

Ken Schumacher, founder of the recruitment verification service Ropes, says he’s worked with hiring managers who ask job candidates rapid-fire questions about the city where they claim to live on their resume, such as their favorite coffee shops and places to hang out. If the applicant is actually based in that geographic region, Schumacher says, they should be able to respond quickly with accurate details.

Another verification tactic some people use, Schumacher says, is what he calls the “phone camera trick.” If someone suspects the person they’re talking to over video chat is being deceitful, they can ask them to hold up their phone camera to their laptop. The idea is to verify whether the individual may be running deepfake technology on their computer, obscuring their true identity or surroundings. But it’s safe to say this approach can also be off-putting: Honest job candidates may be hesitant to show off the inside of their homes or offices, or worry a hiring manager is trying to learn details about their personal lives.

“Everyone is on edge and wary of each other now,” Schumacher says.

While turning yourself into a human captcha may be a fairly effective approach to operational security, even the most paranoid admit these checks create an atmosphere of distrust before two parties have even had the chance to really connect. They can also be a huge time suck. “I feel like something’s gotta give,” Yelland says. “I’m wasting so much time at work just trying to figure out if people are real.”

Jessica Eise, an assistant professor studying climate change and social behavior at Indiana University-Bloomington, says that her research team has been forced to essentially become digital forensics experts, due to the amount of fraudsters who respond to ads for paid virtual surveys. (Scammers aren’t as interested in the unpaid surveys, unsurprisingly.) If the research project is federally funded, all of the online participants have to be over the age of 18 and living in the US.

“My team would check time stamps for when participants answered emails, and if the timing was suspicious, we could guess they might be in a different time zone,” Eise says. “Then we’d look for other clues we came to recognize, like certain formats of email address or incoherent demographic data.”

Eise says the amount of time her team spent screening people was “exorbitant,” and that they’ve now shrunk the size of the cohort for each study and have turned to “snowball sampling” or having recruiting people they know personally to join their studies. The researchers are also handing out more physical flyers to solicit participants in person. “We care a lot about making sure that our data has integrity, that we’re studying who we say we’re trying to study,” she says. “I don’t think there’s an easy solution to this.”

Barring any widespread technical solution, a little common sense can go a long way in spotting bad actors. Yelland shared with me the slide deck that she received as part of the fake job pitch. At first glance, it seemed like legit pitch, but when she looked at it again, a few details stood out. The job promised to pay substantially more than the average salary for a similar role in her location, and offered unlimited vacation time, generous paid parental leave, and fully-covered health care benefits. In today’s job environment, that might have been the biggest tipoff of all that it was a scam.

[sirfrogsworth]

The Death of Physical Media

I keep seeing this concern around all of my home theater circles. Ever since Best Buy decided to abandon physical media there has been a call to arms to save it.

Chris Stuckman did a great video on his love of physical media.

I admire and share his passion.

That said, I think there is nothing to stop physical media from being scaled back. At best, it will end up like vinyl and only a few select titles will still be pressed.

Which is why I think saving physical media is the wrong fight.

There is a much larger fight that encompasses more than just blu-ray discs...

(I'm going to use really big letters for dramatic effect so don't get startled.)

DATA OWNERSHIP!

(Imagine a long trailing echo when reading that in your mind.)

(Sorry, I probably should have included those instructions in the previous parenthetical. So go back and read "data ownership" again with the proper gusto.)

(Did you do it?)

(Was it cool?)

(Cool.)

A blu-ray is just data.

The disc does not positively affect the visuals or the sounds. It's just 1s and 0s coded into microscopic pits. You can put that data on a hard drive. You can put it on an SD Card. You can put it on a thumb drive and wear it on a necklace.

You can even use WinRAR to break it up into little 1.44 megabyte chunks and save it to floppy disks.

Another 40 more cases of floppies and you've got Avatar preserved for life!

The medium is not important.

The *data* is important.

And as everything turns into a subscription we are losing out on ways to own data. Beyond that, people aren't yet seeing the value of owning data. If renting a digital download is cheaper, they are almost always going to choose that option.

So the fight is two-fold.

We need to fight for the right to parrrrrty own data.

We need to convince the populace of the value of owning data.

This can apply to software, movies, video games. Hell, I don't even own my damn doorbell videos. There is no way to download all of the footage. I'd have to do each video one at a time. And if I don't keep my subscription, I will no longer have access to that data as it will soon be deleted.

We would need a platform similar to Steam—though it isn't the perfect data ownership solution. Many titles require internet connectivity and DRM verification. What happens to our media when a company goes out of business and the infrastructure to verify the DRM over the internet is gone?

So that would need to be addressed. Perhaps a new form of DRM linked to our digital identity that can be verified locally.

I mean, I'd love to get rid of DRM, but that is probably not realistic.

I think the best avenue is probably a congressional law.

"The Own Your Own Data Act"

TOYODA?

We can workshop the name later.

In conclusion, we don't need to save blu-rays. We need the option to buy data and actually own it in perpetuity.

Meaning if a streaming service deletes a movie or a movie studio goes belly up, our data doesn't disintegrate along with it. We cannot let our favorite shows go extinct. We need to be part of preserving that history. Not to mention discs have a shelf life. But data can be transferred to new mediums indefinitely.

My house is just going to be wall to wall floppy disks.