TRANSPARENCY IN BIOMETRIC DATA STORAGE By Leeyu Addisu Designed by Alyssia Liu
We are now more connected to our electronic devices than ever before. Our favorite devices are familiar with the most private details of our lives, like the route that we travel each day or what app we open first in the morning. In addition to that, technology hardware companies like Apple, Microsoft, and FitBit now have access to an abundance of biometric data such as fingerprint scans, facial scans, and vocal recognition. Unlike other types of confidential data such as a password, we are unable to make changes to our biological 12
characteristics. It’s impossible for someone to edit their fingerprint or the patterns of blood vessels of their retina. While this makes biometric data an excellent identification tool, it also makes it incredibly dangerous if taken into the wrong hands. Hospital databases are regulated under stringent security protocols, but technology companies are not required to meet the same requirements. As the use of biometric technology becomes more prevalent, a greater degree of transparency is necessary.
