Biometric technologies are just a tool, but their social implications may be far-reaching. Europe faces the challenge of better understanding the longer-term implications of large-scale deployment of biometrics so as to ensure their beneficial implementation. The following four themes have been identified as the main social issues:
“Function creep” is an important concern, i.e. that technology and processes introduced for one purpose will be extended to other purposes which were not discussed or agreed upon at the time of their implementation. Thus it is important to be clear about what the needs of the application are and how biometrics will be able to achieve them.
This is not only a technical issue. Process equivalence (for instance backup procedures that are the same everywhere) is extremely important as it impacts on system performance, especially where biometrics are used in international situations (e.g. border control).
Human factors such as age, ethnicity, gender, diseases or disabilities (including natural ageing) ought to be studied on a case-by-case basis so as to minimise the possibility of social exclusion of a small but significant part of the population. More research is also needed on the usability and the user-friendliness of biometrics in real-life situations.
People may temporarily accept a loss of some of their personal freedom in exchange for a more secure world. But when government control is perceived as excessive, disproportionate and/or ‘too efficient’ this may lead to an erosion of trust which will be in the interest of neither governments nor citizens.