Are
We Sleepwalking Into A Surveillance Society?
Personal Identity technology (ID-tech) is
the complex of devices and techniques by
which the identity of individuals is
established and/or verified. It largely
consists of biometric systems, that is,
automated technical systems that measure
physical human characteristics, some of them
dynamically and in real time. The biometric
device matches the input sample against a
stored template, in order to include or
exclude an individual from some action or
activity. It is used for verifying who you
are (with smart card, username or ID number)
or identifying who you are. The data so
collected could be used for purposes other
than those initially intended. Fingerprint
biometrics were first used at the 2004
Olympic Summer Games, Athens. In the USA,
Australia, UK, EU and other countries
biometrics are being introduced into
passport and visa control. For example,
citizens of Brazil have their signature,
photo, and 10 rolled fingerprints collected
by passport requests. There is a very wide
variety of uses e.g. in immigration,
customs, ATMs, retail, schools, policing,
and intelligence.