IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2017 - 41

COMMENTARY

Angus Willoughby

Biometric
Surveillance and the
Right to Privacy

sing biometric technolog y to identify
and monitor people
raises human rights
concerns. In particular, biometrics are often associated
with intrusions into privacy. The personal and permanent nature of the
physiological features that are analyzed by a biometric system raising
an inherent tension with privacy interests. When biometrics are applied in
a surveillance context, concerns for
privacy naturally increase. To consider the compatibility of biometric surveillance with international human
rights obligations, we start with a general overview of biometric technologies that are, or may be, employed
in surveillance.

U

Biometric Technology and
Surveillance

Overview of Biometric
Technologies and Surveillance
Defining Biometrics

WIKIMEDIA

Biometrics refers to a process of
recording, measuring, and analyzing a range of human physiological
features. The scope of features to
which biometrics may be directed
is "all encompassing, and includes
appearance, behavior, and cognitive state" [1]. Certain physiological features are permanent, unique,
and universal. They are known as
"biometric characteristics." Those
characteristics are typically measured by a sensor array and stored on
a database as a "template." Subject to

Swiss facial recognition and vehicle make,
model, color and license plate reader.
the purposes of the biometric system manager, a template enables
the manager to identify a person,
or to verify a person's identity, at a
later time.

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MTS.2017.2728736
Date of publication: 7 September 2017

SEPTEMBER 2017

∕

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

Biometric technologies are increasingly being used for surveillance
pur poses. For exa mple, Un ited
States militar y and intelligence
agencies have increasingly implemented biometric technologies
in their intelligence, surveillance,
and reconnaissance (ISR) activities.
Biometric technology is acquiring an
increasingly important position in
U.S. military and national security policy [2], [3]. Although the use
of biometrics for identification is not
novel, biometric technology has
grown into a substantial industry,
accelerated by the 9/11 terrorist
attacks in New York City and Washington, DC, in 2001. Biometrics
have expanded in complexity and
usage since 9/11, extending to:
"logical and physical access systems; surveillance operations to
fight against fraud and organized
crime; immigration control and border security systems; national identity programs; identity management

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