Biometrics is the science of using measurable physiological characteristics to authenticate a user such as fingerprints or facial characteristics. Australia had been given a mandate to look into using biometrics to help control immigration at its borders. The Australian DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship) is catching flak now for only researching limited biometrics (facial recognition) instead of incorporating the full biometric spectrum as read by the mandate.
When biometrics is implemented properly, the idea is to get a portrait of the whole person on record: fingerprints, facial recognition, voice pattern and (eventually, as technology advances) such things as retinal identification and DNA printing. Countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom are already implementing biometrics as part of their border control programs. Australian officials are concerned that Australia’s delays in biometric implementation will cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, in a future implementation.
Senator Evans has rallied against the accusations, saying that the DIAC does currently use basic biometrics such as fingerprinting and facial recognition in its border control and immigration policies. “These biometrics are being progressively rolled out to various immigration processes, including visa applications,” said Evans in a statement. “Biometric equipment is also used to collect facial images and fingerprints from people in immigration detention and illegal foreign fishers,” he added.
As with any new technology that records personal data, the DIAC is meting some resistance over implementation of biometrics from both immigrants and the Australian citizenry. The fear is that biometrics violates privacy concerns and stores too much information about a person, which is then vulnerable to use by hackers and identity thieves, as well as other problems. With no clear picture on privacy issues surrounding biometrics and possibly having to come from behind and play technological catch up with other countries, the DIAC has its work cut out for it.
