A Biometric ID Card System - Coursework Example

The idea of using identity cards to control access and identify individuals has existed for a long time. Actually, almost every adult in the world has at least one identity card issued by the government, or employer. Biometric cards are not much different from the common identity cards. However, their adoption to compliment or replace the functions of traditional cards system is subject to controversy. This paper analyses the effectiveness of a biometric ID card system for controlling access and ensuring national security and evaluates the claims that such a system, in fact, threaten individual privacy. A biometric ID card system is more or less like a conventional identity card system but differs in the sense that it holds biometric information. Biometrics are various techniques that can identify and validate an individual’s identity through the use of human behavioral and physiological traits.1 A biometric ID card system, therefore, identifies a person through the traits of the body such as height, hair color, iris images, and fingerprints, among others. Nonetheless, height and hair color are known to change relatively fast and therefore are not relied upon in biometrics.Error: Reference source not found Fingerprints are the most commonly used biometric information for identification reasons2 because patterns on a finger skin are unique to each individual and remains relatively unchanged.Error: Reference source not foundError: Reference source not found Although fingerprints of an individual can change slightly due to factors such as weight loss or gain, they remain still identifiable. The images of eye iris are also unique to an individual and can also be useful as biometric information.Error: Reference source not foundError: Reference source not found3 There is no universal agreement on what kind of biometric information would be used in a biometric ID card system. Nevertheless, the information that is likely to be used is the iris images and fingerprints. This is because of the reasons previously mentioned that they are constant and unique. The iris recognition is the most accurate technique.456 The iris recognition-based biometric identification system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not exhibited any false match since it was launched.Error: Reference source not found This is a highlight of the accuracy of an iris recognition biometric system. It is worth to note the UAE has the largest database of iris images used in its biometric identification system.Error: Reference source not found A biometric ID card system would be effective as a means for controlling access and ensuring national security when viewed in one perspective. The system is highly accurate compared to the conventional identification card system. It is almost impossible to copy or duplicate biometric information such as fingerprints and iris images.54 A study on the use of iris recognition system in enhancing border control in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) highlight that an iris based biometric system increased the detection of illegal aliens crossing the border into the country.Error: Reference source not found Literature also highlight that fingerprint biometrics performs better than other biometric technologies in terms of false acceptance rates.Error: Reference source not found5 The advantages of a biometric ID system over the traditional ID cards system are substantial. Biometric characteristics cannot be forgotten or lost, and are difficult to distribute, share, and copy.7 Furthermore, the individual to be authenticated must be present during the process. The effectiveness of a biometric ID card system is also limited by a number of factors, which include public acceptance and cost of implementation. Since the system was suggested, it has been highly criticized as ineffective in controlling access and ensuring national security. The implementation of a biometric system would mean that people’s personal information would have to be collected and stored in a central computer.8910 The implication of this is that any instance of the card use and subsequently a person’s activity can be monitored and tracked. This is one of the basis upon which opponents of a biometric ID card system have rejected it. According to a report by the Stationery Office of Great Britain, fingerprinting in school and airports is widely opposed by the public.8 In addition, people are generally concerned about the iris recognition system, which pose health risks due to regular exposure of their eyes and potential damage to their vision. Even though the issue of health risks can be solved, is still widely perceived that biometric information is extremely private “belonging to and extremely valuable to the individual.”8 This value makes people wary of the misuse of the information. Actions such as taking DNA and fingerprints by police during arrests have been viewed as intrusion to people’s civil liberties and have not won public trust. It is also widely perceived that data or information held electronically is always insecure and is open to misuse by people in authority and criminals. The stationery Office of Great Britain and Newman concur.89 In addition, not many people believe that national security would be achieved by a biometric ID card system. Governments are also perceived as not having the reputation and capacity to protect such data securely. The media has further contributed to the public mistrust that a biometric ID card system would be effective and secure by highlighting the governments’ inefficiencies and lack of capacity to protect centrally held data. Simon Davies has agreed that a biometric system would definitely jeopardize the autonomy of individuals.11 He argues that such as system would greatly contravene modern values and create an “outcasts” class.Error: Reference source not found There is also wide public discontent with a biometric system due to hygienic and privacy issues. The fingerprint and hand recognition methods have raised serious concerns over hygiene, while an iris system is viewed as difficult to use.12 A large proportion of the population in United Arab Emirate has actually rejected the iris based biometric system. Al-Raisi and Al-Khouri have noted that even with the benefits of the biometric system implement in UAE, people, including the public and operators of the system were opposed to it.13 The cost of implementing a biometric ID card system varies with the type of biometric information used for recognition. The cost of an iris based system is relatively high, but that of a fingerprint based system is low.Error: Reference source not foundError: Reference source not found The costs of facial and hand based systems have been categorized as moderate.Error: Reference source not found The cost of implementing the system is huge. It has been highlighted that with a biometric system there is need for financial concerns.Error: Reference source not found The need to ensure that the environment under which acquisition of data is done remains conducive highlights high cost of operating the system. For instance, adequate lighting and favorable environmental conditions are necessary for the recognition technology to work properly. This aspect has a bearing on the cost of implementing and operating a biometric ID card system. Even with all its benefits, a biometric ID card system is widely opposed on grounds that it threatens individual privacy. As highlighted by a survey done by the Stationery Office on the acceptance of a biometric system in Britain, people do no trust that their information would be safe if stored electronically in a central database.14 Abernathy and Tien strongly emphasize that privacy of individuals would be greatly undermined by a biometric system because such large systems have been known to be inherently difficult to keep completely secure.15 In America, public acceptance of the biometric technology is not substantial to support the implementation of a biometric ID card system. Newman further concurs that a biometric system is widely viewed as an intrusion to people’s privacy in corporate America.16 During the feasibility investigation of the UAE pilot biometric system, the public expressed fear that collection of facial data might impinge on individual privacy.17 The general acceptance even by proponents of a biometric card system is that biometric data of individuals gathered during enrollment might be misused or used without the consent of the owner. The use of biometrics for access also exposes a user to the owner such as criminals wanting to cut out someone’s body part in order to acquire the authenticating item. For instance, a Malaysian national had his finger chopped off by robbers trying to steal his car that he had secured with a fingerprint recognition system.18 Newman has confirmed that a biometric system has a number of psychological issues.19 The opposition of the biometric system is, however, driven mainly by the fear of unknown. A survey conducted to determine the reaction of people on a new technology highlighted that people are often wary of new technology but when they try it, their pessimism reduces.Error: Reference source not found20 Furthermore, Newman has shown that biometric system is widely accepted in the banking sector in America since the sector is a pioneer in adoption of the technology.Error: Reference source not found Even though there is the threat of privacy invasion, high cost of implementation, and negative perception towards the system by the public, a biometric ID card system would improve efficiency in providing national security and controlling access. List of References Abernathy, W. & Tien, L. Biometrics: who's watching you? September 2003, Viewed on 22 June 2011, . Al-Raisi, A.N. & Al-Khouri, A. M. “Iris recognition and the challenge of homeland and border control security in UAE,” Telematics and Informatics, Vol. 25, 2008, Pp.117–132. Davies, S.G. "Touching Big Brother: how biometric technology till fuse flesh and machine", Information Technology & People, Vol. 7, No. 4, 1994, pp.38 - 47. Kent, Jonathan. Malaysia car thieves steal finger, BBC Online, Kuala Lumpur, March 2005, Viewed 22 June 2011. Newman, R. Security and access control using biometric technologies. Cengage Learning, Massachusetts, 2009. Stationery Office of Great Britain. Surveillance: citizens and the state 2nd report of session 2008-09: evidence, Vol. 2, Stationery Office of Great Britain, London, 2009, p. 410. Read More