Biometric identifiers are set to become an increasingly common
part of daily life, following an
EU
decision last year
to introduce biometrics in passports, visas and residence permits
from 2006.
According to the study, Biometrics at the Frontiers:
Assessing the Impact on Society, this will have a knock-on
effect on civil and commercial life, as people become more familiar
with the technology, costs come down, and applications become more
widespread.
Enhanced security and convenience are among the benefits put
forward by the report, which also warns that, like all
technologies, biometrics has its limits.
"Biometric identification is not perfect – it is never 100%
certain, it is vulnerable to errors and it can be 'spoofed,'" says
the report. "The biometric system is only one part of an overall
identification or authentication process, and the other parts of
that process will play an equal role in determining its
effectiveness."
The report's authors, at the European Commission's Joint
Research Centre, recommend that policy-makers act now to shape the
use of biometrics so as to obtain the maximum benefit from it. In
particular, says the report, action now could result in:
- The creation of a clear definition of purpose for each
biometric application – preventing function creep and encouraging
user acceptance. Adequate privacy and data protection safeguards
are necessary to achieve this.
- The enhancement, as opposed to erosion, of privacy – allowing
authentication of an individual without revealing his identity.
This contrasts with fears expressed by privacy activists that the
technology could create a "surveillance society", but could, says
the report, be realised by using multiple biometrics to segregate
personal information and by developing privacy-enhancing policy
measures.
- The creation of a dynamic European biometrics industry – by
building public acceptance of the technology; creating appropriate
privacy and data protection safeguards; demanding open standards
and interoperability; and kick-starting a competitive supply market
for the technology, initially through the introduction of the new
passports.
- Flexibility – in order to deal with the inevitable difficulties
and errors that will occur when taking, assessing or rejecting a
biometric sample. This could be ensured by, for example, having
trained staff to take over when necessary.
- More research in vital areas – further developing the
technology and gaining empirical data upon which the practical
deployment of biometric systems can be based. The report suggests
that large-scale field trials should be carried out.
