The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stated that the increased use of biometric data entails risks related to privacy, security, and discrimination.
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In a statement that was published last Thursday, May 18, the regulator defined biometric information as data that displays or describes physical, biological, or behavioral traits, characteristics, or measurements of a person’s body or related to it.
Samuel Levin, director of the FTC Consumer Protection Bureau, says that in recent years, the practice of biometric surveillance has become more widespread and more sophisticated. According to him, these changes aimed at scaling and modernization create new threats in terms of ensuring privacy and protecting civil rights. He also stated that all companies must strictly comply with legal regulations, regardless of what type of technology they use.
The FTC states its intention to eliminate the practice of connecting and using biometric information that is misleading and contains false data. This practice may be associated with technologies such as face recognition, fingerprint recognition, and iris recognition.
The regulator has officially outlined its position on the risks associated with the use of facial recognition technology, after were voiced similar concerns earlier this year. For example, in January, the story of a Georgia resident who spent some time in prison because of a robbery in New Orleans became known. For this citizen, the news of his involvement in a criminal act became a sensation, incomprehensible to the mind, since he had never been to the said city. The man ended up in prison as a result of an error in the operation of the facial recognition system.
Also in January, the Attorney General of New York questioned Madison Square Garden (MSG) on the fact of allegations that the institution through the use of facial recognition technology did not let certain people inside. MSG has denied involvement in such practices.
Hamza Al-Ghatam, CEO of FACEKI, says that biometrics is currently in the early stages in terms of prevalence. He also noted that these technologies can be implemented in many industries with the subsequent benefit from the use of the corresponding solution.
As we have reported earlier, Token Raises $30 Million for Biometric Wearable.
