Introduction to Biometrics

Biometrics have become a pivotal technology for security purposes in contemporary times. From personal systems to official government ones, the use of biometrics is increasing. So what does this “Biometrics” mean?

The term biometrics consists of two words, bio and metrics. Bio refers to life and metrics refers to measure.  Hence, Biometrics is the measurements and calculations of human characteristics, either physical or behavioral. It can be used for identification and assessment control which is known as biometric authentication. Similarly, it is also used for identification of individuals under surveillance. 

The characteristics that are measurable and describe individuals are the biometric identifiers. These identifiers include fingerprints, face recognition, DNA, hand geometry, iris recognition, voice, palm veins, palm prints, etc. Likewise, the behavioral characteristics include behavioral profiling of a person, signature, movement, and gait.

Fingerprints and facial and voice recognition are the most commonly used biometric methods. Initially, biometrics was mostly used in governmental facilities. Now the use of biometric technology has broadened with corporations and companies also incorporating the technology into everyday life.

Recently, even smartphones and tablets have been utilizing this technology to grant access to the device through fingerprint and facial IDs. In the future, we expect the use of biometrics to further broaden. Nevertheless, the increasing use of biometric technology has also sparked concerns over issues of privacy. 

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Privacy Issues

No technology is perfect which also stands true for biometrics. Biometrics has its flaws and its proper utilization can create a huge issue and risk to privacy. We have listed the main issues of privacy that biometrics faces as follows: 

1. Consent

The first issue of privacy in biometrics is the consent of individuals during the collection of personal data. As we mentioned in the introduction, biometrics takes measurements and calculations of physical characteristics such as fingerprints, facial recognition, DNA, iris scans,  voices, etc. Such data are very personal and there is a risk of exploitation without the knowledge of the individual.

The use of surveillance cameras is everywhere. Unknowingly these cameras capture your images and use them as facial recognition and biometrics authentication. Surveillance cameras are just an example. Your data could be collected from images you post on social media or any other online platforms.

This way of collecting information without consent is a passive collection of biometrics. Here arises a massive issue of privacy. Without your knowledge and consent, your data is being stored and used. Moreover, you may have no right over your data as you may not have the access or right to delete them. 

2. Data Collection and Protection

The purpose of collecting your biometric data may not always be what you think or lead to think is for. There have been countless incidents where personal data was being used for different purposes.

Similarly, companies often use biometrics of employees like fingerprints and biometric signatures to verify identity and provide access to company resources. However, it also has secondary purposes which the employees are unaware of like monitoring them.

Government offices and companies have become a huge database mine which as a result, are often targets for hackers. These databases are often at the risk of being stolen and mishandled. Hence, there is a requirement for proper protection of the database. 

3. Accuracy of Data

Misuse of the collected data is a risk but what about the accuracy of the data in the first place?

Biometric technology has its flaws and sometimes results in errors. According to the research of the NIST Computer Security Resource Center, the accuracy of fingerprint detection is 90% while it is 77% for face recognition systems.  A few examples of such errors are an error in matching the individual with their data, and incorrect identifications, among others. 

Likewise, there have also been issues of bias in biometric technology. Cases of racial bias and discrimination have been found due to insufficient data and algorithms in the systems. These issues and errors can result in serious threats to privacy and security such as false accusations of crime, refused access to services, etc.

4. Governance and Regulations 

With more advanced developments in biometric technology, the existing laws governing it have fallen short. There is a significant absence of governance and regulations. The rapid pace of technological advancement has further added challenges to establishing precise laws and policies to regulate biometrics. 

To further complicate the task, different countries have different legislation and policies, with some countries having stricter regulations regarding data privacy and usage than others. Steps like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation have addressed the increasing privacy concerns. 

However, the existing laws are not sufficient to protect the databases and sensitive information. Therefore, it is crucial to enforce more rigorous standards of security and privacy regulations to mitigate the misuse and abuse of biometric data. 

5. Ethical issues 

The last issue we would like to shed light on this topic of the future of biometrics and the issue of privacy is ethical issues. With growing concerns over privacy issues, it has also become important to address the ethical issues. There is a big question about how do biometrics impact an individual and the society. 

The biometric data is permanent and your data stays in the database forever. However, digital identities can be faked. So there arises the question of who should have access to such personal data. In the wrong hands, there is a risk of misuse and abuse of such sensitive data. Therefore, it is important to think about ethical issues related to biometrics and take them seriously. 

Conclusion 

The biometrics technology will continue to flourish, there is no argument about it. As we head into the future, the use and necessity of biometrics are going to further expand into other industries as well. Correspondingly, biometrics technology will also further advance in the future, and the issues may deepen.

Therefore, we must think about the risks and issues of privacy involved in biometrics and how to properly use and store the data. Similarly, what steps can we take in the event of a data breach should also be carefully considered. Proper policies, regulations, and harsher laws can be a step towards solving these issues. We have yet to see the development of biometrics and privacy issues in the future.