Rank: New forum user 
|
We recently have attended a construction site and they are using some form of biometric security system(fingerprints, iris recognition etc). I am trying to find out a bit more about it generally - concerns like Data Protection and also what is the driving principle behind it? Apparently it is linked to your CSCS cards and qualifications etc. I can appreciate some benefits from this in terms of security and convenience but also I can see that some people will not be keen on giving this information in this form.
Has anyone got any opinions as to whether they think it is a good or bad "advancement" on this please?
Thank you
(I put this discussion on the members forum in error)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
Personally, I don't like fingerprint recognition in this application because It's just another way to spread germs. It's great for your PC for security reasons and its good that arms manufacturers are experimenting with it for safety reasons.
Not sure about your DPA concerns? What data of value will be at risk that wasn't at risk before?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user 
|
They recently introduced a biometric system in the canteen at my daughters school. I send a cheque into school every so often which gets credited to her account. When she gets her lunch in the canteen she puts her thumb on the reader and her account is debited by the amount that she has spent.
I believe that you can link the thumb prints to any data that you want to. i.e. if you just wanted to link it to a name and access authorisation you could without having to hold much in the way of personal data on that record. This would minimise your problems with data protection.
The advantages for the school are that they do not have to deal with children losing (or having stolen) cash or physical electronic keys.
I am guessing that the system is not prohibitively expensive as the school in question is just your ordinary secondry comprehensive and not noted for loads of surplus cash.
I was initially a bit worried about the "big brother" aspect of it but when I thought it through, I could not really see much of a down side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
Blimey Jeni where I grew up it wouldn't have surprise me if some of the lardies cut a kids thumb off to get an extra portion of chips. :-)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
To the best of my knowledge there have been no forcible thumb amputations.........yet!
Probably due to Jamie Oliver and the fact that now all the school canteens serve healthy food that the kids are not bothered about eating anyway!
School is in East London and so not in the leafy suburbs.
I wonder if the school have included the thumb amputations in their risk assessment?????????????????
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
We discussed this (vaguely) a few weeks ago, as it's the system being used for the Olympic sites - notably the press reported it as an anti-terrorist feature, which prompted the discussion.
DPA figures, but only to the same extent as it would if you were keeping names and photos. A thumbprint or iris scan is plain old PII and no real value beyond the other things the employer will hold, like your home address, a scan of your driving licence, etc.
FYI thumbprint and iris scan databases do not actually contain the scan itself, merely a series of numbers. You can't use the data to recreate a fake finger or eyeball and waltz through an airport, much to the annoyance of script writers, so theft of the data is not as much of an issue as it is with human-readable data like your mother's maiden name. If you want to beat the system, you need a knife.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
Safety Smurf wrote:Personally, I don't like fingerprint recognition in this application because It's just another way to spread germs.
I thought this was related to a construction site, not a hermetically sealed, fully encpsulated bubble? As long as the data is managed accordingly, then why not go ahead with such programmes. I am sure it would aid the likes of accident investigations, timekeeping, audits / inspections etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
I PERSONALLY wouldn't have a problem with such a system, although accept that some might.
Agree with Captain Scarlet though, I really can't see that fingerprint recognition would pose any significant risk of cross infection, although in fairness, I suppose iris recognition could be different.
I would assume that such a system would have to be registered with the DPR and therefopre there should be a number of safeguards in place to ensure security of personal information and data sharing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.