Biometric passports, privacy at risk
Introduction of biometric passports: the risks to privacy. New criticism and concern by experts.
BERN - New arguments against the introduction of biometric passports on which the Swiss people will be called upon to express themselves by referendum on 17 May. The new devices, in fact, after the technical and policy concerns expressed in recent weeks, there is concern by experts of data protection.
The Swiss jurist Hanspeter Thür and his colleague Peter Hustinx European deem inappropriate to store the information of citizens in one central database. This strong measure, not provided for 'Schengen Agreement to which Switzerland has recently joined, is likely to introduce worrying scenario "big brother" in the name of greater security.
According to the Head of the Federal data protection, in fact, there is a real danger that this information is altered or removed: risk common to all databases. Even "the best security in the world can not prevent the leaks within the same, 'he added.
Thür also fears that a subsequent amendment to the law may allow then to use the data for purposes not currently provided, such as for police investigations or inquiries, setting concrete scenarios for global control. "It is the typical Swiss perfectionism state, 'said Thür," the state should only provide information on citizens are strictly necessary to fulfill its tasks. "
In the same opinion is also the European counterpart. In an interview to the "Berner Zeitung", Hustinx said the solution supports decentralized decision by Germany and was in rather sorry that your country, the Netherlands has opted for a centralized database such as that proposed in Switzerland.
According to the responsible Committee, it is better that the biometric data will remain solely in the possession of the owner, and therefore are not stored in a single archive. Hustinx has also pointed the finger at the limits of technology: the quality of the fingerprint is not identical for each individual, the margin of error - he said with concern - is of 4-5%.
Luca Spinelli (ats source)
Related news:
Your opinion is important: make it public!