The Maldives' digital identity platform, E-Faas, is undergoing a transition in its facial recognition service vendor. Previously, the mobile application used technology from SumSub, an Israeli company registered in the UK. 

In a recent post on social media platform X, E-Faas announced that they are updating the face verification service vendor, which has led to a temporary unavailability of the service.

They further said that requiring verification during this period can email a copy of their ID card along with their contact number to [email protected] for assistance. 
However, no further details were provided regarding the new vendor.

The change comes amid concerns about SumSub's Israeli origins, despite its registration in the UK. The National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT), which oversees E-Faas services, previously defended the choice of SumSub, citing its operation under UK law and adherence to UK data protection regulations. 

NCIT assured users that even though the facial recognition feature was provided by a foreign company, no personal information of Maldivian citizens would be stored or accessed by the vendor.

This vendor update is expected to enhance the security and efficiency of the E-Faas system once completed, however they did not give any information on who the new vendor would be.