India, Canada, Pakistan, European Countries And The US All Collect And Store Information
By Shazia Malik
We have now heard it several times that the world is becoming a dangerous place as our information can be accessed from anywhere and that also without gaining one’s consent beforehand. Also, only fewer countries have laws which remain a meaningful tool for protecting against invasions of privacy, other are not only collecting their citizens’ biometric data but sharing it with friendly countries.
The Weekly Voice talked to Paul Bischoff, a VPN expert who explained why more and more countries are using this data.
Per Bischoff, biometric data is usually collected to verify people’s identities and for security purposes. Identities might need to be verified for travel, to access government benefits, or to access workplace resources. When asked with whom various countries share this data and why, Bischoff said: “It depends on the country. In Europe, for example, biometric data is shared by governments and law enforcement for intelligence purposes.
“We focused (in our study) mainly on government collection of biometric data. That data is often shared with other governments and government agencies.”
Commenting on the biometric data collection system specifically in India, Canada and Pakistan, Bischoff said: “India has a national biometric database, the largest in the world, known as the Aadhaar. It is used in the creation of national ID cards, which contain fingerprints and iris scans. It is not open to law enforcement. Face recognition CCTV, however, seems to be on the rise in India.
“In Canada, immigration authorities maintain a biometric database of international travelers, which is accessible by police.
All Canadian visas contain fingerprints. CCTV cameras in some parts of the country use face recognition. Fingerprints are taken for eVisas.
While Pakistan’s national ID card uses biometrics. The database where national ID card data is stored is accessible to police. There are no laws in Pakistan to protect employees from giving up biometric data to employers. The Safe Cities project uses widespread face recognition.”
When asked if the system is being put in place to track people’s movements, why those countries that do not collect or share this data are surviving, Bischoff maintained: “No country is perfect. Ireland and Portugal earn the best (lowest) scores. Ireland is not part of the EU’s Schengen zone and therefore is not required to collect biometrics upon entry nor share data with other countries. Portugal has banned biometric databases completely.”
But is it not illegal to gather intimate and private information, Bischoff said he can only speak about the US laws, adding “in most US states, it is not illegal to gather, store, and share biometric data. Biometric data is a relatively new trend, so lawmakers have not caught up yet.”
In a January 6 opinion piece, written for The New York Times, lawyer Neema Singh Guliani has mentioned how privacy violations are posing a real harm.
She pointed out: “Huge privacy violations have become commonplace. Without a private right of action, consumers have little practical ability to seek relief in cases where their data was mishandled or misused. This eliminates a powerful enforcement stick that can be used to dissuade companies from violating the law.
“ A private right of action is also important because government agencies often do not have the resources to investigate and take action in every case where consumers’ privacy is violated. So, a private right of action may be the only avenue to hold a company accountable.”