Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Department of Motor Vehicles is no longer allowing people to flash a big grin when they get their picture taken for a new driver's license.
DMV spokesman Jake Melder tells the Idaho Statesman (http://bit.ly/2miMl85) the change is due to a new facial recognition software designed to help stop identity theft.
The no-smile policy went into effect last fall, but officials are still working out details and have yet to launch the software.
Melder says people can still smile for their driver's license pictures, they just can't show their teeth.
The goal of the facial recognition software is to prevent people from getting licenses under different names.
Melder says the data it collects will be kept by the state, but law enforcement agencies could request access to the information.
___
Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
