In an age where convenience often comes hand-in-hand with concerns over privacy, the line between security and personal space can sometimes feel uncomfortably blurred.

This was the sentiment echoed by a bank customer who recently voiced frustration over what they perceived as a ‘creepy’ request from the bank before they could access their own funds.


An ANZ customer expressed frustration after being asked to provide a photo of herself to the bank for verification purposes to regain access to her own funds.

The woman shared her concern on social media, complaining about ‘taking a picture of me without my permission when they made me re-register on their app’.

‘They said only their premium customers get facial recognition,’ she wrote.


The bank explained that when opening an ANZ Plus account—which is tied to its app—customers ‘must take a selfie photo to confirm it's really you’.

According to the bank’s website, ‘This is one of our new security features called Selfie ID, and it helps stop other people using your identity. It's also a simple way to recover your details if you ever lose them.’

‘Selfie ID is also required to use some in-app features, like increasing your Pay Anyone or BPAY limit.’

‘This creates an extra layer of security to help prevent unauthorised access to your app,’ ANZ added.


The ANZ Plus app automatically uploads the selfie to an online database after requesting access to the customer's phone camera.

This process is part of the ConnectID system, developed by Australian Payments Plus—a joint venture by payment firms BPAY and EFTPOS.

The system not only enhances security but also generates a ‘modest revenue stream’ for banks, which can charge merchants a fee to validate customers' identity information.

The push for facial recognition technology isn't unique to ANZ. Other major Australian institutions, including Commonwealth Bank and NAB, have agreements with ConnectID, while Optus uses ID by Mastercard service.


The Australian government has also introduced its own version, MyID, which aligns with the commencement of the Digital ID Act on December 1.

‘This legislation will strengthen and expand a voluntary accreditation scheme for providers of Digital ID services across the economy,’ the Department of Finance stated.

‘Accredited providers will need to meet a range of privacy, security and other standards and be subject to additional privacy safeguards set out in law.’

‘Australians who choose to use these accredited providers to create and re-use a Digital ID can have confidence knowing their personal information is private, safe and secure,’ they added.


However, despite the government's assurance and the non-compulsory nature of Digital ID, there's a growing concern among businesses about losing their customers by requiring them to use Digital ID to access their services.

While the government and businesses promote Digital IDs as a more secure alternative to traditional online verification methods, concerns about privacy have been raised.

‘In Europe, many countries have established digital identity structures; however, these systems are built on robust rights-based frameworks and a mature rights-respecting culture that we do not currently enjoy in Australia,’ Digital Rights Watch wrote.

ANZ has yet to comment on the issue.


In the wake of ANZ bank's recent digital ID policy requiring selfies for account access, a separate incident highlights the potential pitfalls of such digital reliance.

An ANZ app outage left many customers stranded and unable to access their online accounts.

This incident underscores the importance of robust digital infrastructure, particularly as banks like ANZ increasingly embrace digital verification measures.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this issue. Have you encountered similar requests from your bank or other services? How do you feel about the trade-off between convenience and privacy? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below, and let's discuss the future of our digital identities together.