Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has helped to enhance individual data protection, and biometric data is no exception. With GDPR setting strict limitations on how businesses can collect, store and use personally identifying information – including facial features, fingerprints, and voice recognition. Companies must ensure that their data privacy measures align with these new regulations. In this blog post, we will discuss the impact of GDPR on biometric data privacy. And explore ways organizations can protect this kind of sensitive information while still allowing customers to benefit from improved services powered by its collected use.
How will GDPR impact the use of biometric data?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union (EU) is a set of data protection guidelines designed to strengthen and unify the data protection laws within its member states.
It is intended to give individuals more control over their data, while also ensuring that organizations handling such sensitive information are abiding by stricter regulations. In particular, GDPR will significantly impact the use of biometric data, as it introduces several new requirements that organizations must adhere to.
First and foremost, organizations collecting and processing biometric data must obtain explicit consent from users before doing so. This means that when individuals sign up for services requiring access to such information. They should be informed of the potential risks associated with providing such data and be given the option to opt-out.
In addition, GDPR also requires that organizations take greater responsibility for storing biometric data securely. This includes ensuring that any collected information is not lost or stolen in the event of a system breach & guaranteeing that it is only used for its intended purpose.
Finally, GDPR also requires that individuals have the right to delete any biometric data they have provided to an organization. This means that if an individual wishes to revoke their consent for using such data, they must be allowed to do so.
Conclusion
The enforcement of GDPR is a positive step forward for data privacy, but it does not solve all data privacy issues. Biometric data is still largely unregulated, and companies are free to collect, use, and store this sensitive information without the consent of the people involved. This lack of regulation could have serious implications for the security and accuracy of biometric systems and the privacy of the individuals whose biometric data is collected.
The article was authored by Bahaa Abdul Hadi and has been published by the editorial board of the Identity Herald. For more information please visit www.identityherald.com
