Ethical and Social Implications of Biometric Identification Technology: Towards an International Approach

Workshop on

Ethical and Social Implications of Biometric Identification Technology: Towards an International Approach

ORGANISED BY:

European Commission - Science and Society

Brussels, 15-16 December 2005

Berlaymont Building, rue de la Loi 200,

Meeting room S7-50

BACKGROUND

This workshop is convened by the European Commission, DG Research, Science and Society, in the context of an EC funded research project on «Biometric Identification Technology Ethics» - BITE (www.biteproject.org).

Biometric applications concern a variety of areas: civil and criminal identification, surveillance and screening, health care, eCommerce, eGovernment, physical and logical access. Most important, biometrics have been one of the chief ’technical’ responses to September 11 and accurate automated systems for human identification are more and more a critical component of anti-terrorist programs. In the last four years the public outcry for better and more universally available identification technology has been significant and civic leaders have responded with legislation mandating not only better security but achieving that result using high-tech biometric devices. In his speech before the European Parliament, on 23 June 2005, Tony Blair made a priority of «developing biometric technology to make Europe’s borders secure».

RATIONALE OF THE WORKSHOP

Yet biometrics evoke a range of social, legal and ethical concerns. Concerns are based on a variety of factors, including fears about the centralization of information, the development of a unique identifier, and the potential for data misuse. Moreover, the very intimate interdependence between human bodies and technology, the so-called informatization of the body, is a serious reason for concern.

Proponents of biometrics feel that education and appropriate policymaking can diminish concerns regarding the new technology. However, there is an ongoing debate among experts and policymakers about what policies should be deemed «appropriate». What is clear is that future policies must be an international endeavour. Any effort to govern identification technologies will be global or will be ineffective.

PURPOSES

There is undoubtedly a cultural divide between US and Europe in the way in which each deals with the issue of data protection. The laws governing privacy in the US primarily address these rights from a consumer perspective, while Europe regards privacy as a basic human right. Yet it is clear that the issues raised by emerging identification technologies are going far beyond data protection. Biometrics - in its social and ethical dimension - is essentially biopolitics. Identity is a key concept of the information society. The first globalisation - between the XVI and XVIII centuries - was required to create the golden standard to ground economic transactions. Contemporary globalisation must ground electronic transactions on certainty of identity. Biometrics could become the golden standard of the new global, networked, economy.

As biometric identification technology attains a larger presence in everyday life, the issues of potential data misuse and high-tech surveillance will become paramount. Information technologies are de-centred, dispersed and disseminated, and their control and use are largely in the hands of the individuals, citizens’ groups, and enterprises. The governance challenge is no longer democratic control over centralized systems- as it was in the 20th century - but governance over decentralised, distributed systems. The current political and legal infrastructures - shaped on «hard» technology - are likely to be inadequate and expecting to deal with biometric identification technology following old schemes would be worse than wrong, would be counterproductive. There is thus a need for an international initiative on ethical and social implications of biometrics. This initiative should promote research on policies for enhanced security, respect for privacy, respect for human dignity, technological transparency. By bringing together an international, multidisciplinary group of experts involved - at various levels and in various ways - in policy advising, this workshop aims to be such an initiative.

European commission

Dr Maurizio Salvi (Secretary of the workshop) European Commission

Research Directorate -General

Directorate C - European Research

Ethics and Science

SDME 07/64 - B - 1049 Brussels

Maurizio.Salvi@cec.eu.int Prof. Emilio Mordini

BITE Project Coordinator

Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship

Via Sistina 37 - 00187 Rome - IT

e.mordini@bioethics.it WORKSHOP ON ETHICAL AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGY: TOWARDS AN INTERNATIONAL APPROACH

BRUSSELS, 15 DECEMBER 2005

9.00- 9.20 OPENING:

J-M. Baer - Director, European Commission, DG Research - Science and Society

E. Mordini - Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship, co-ordinator of the BITE project

K. Wadhwa - Global Security Intelligence

9.20-9.30 Welcome addresses delivered by

Representative of the European Group of Ethics (EU)

9.30-13.30 1ST SESSION: BIOMETRICS FOR BORDER CONTROL AND CIVIL IDENTIFICATION

Chairs: D. Grondin - International Organisation for Migration

S. Gutwirth - Center for Law, Science, Technology & Society Studies - BE

Rapporteur: M. Savastano - CNR - IT

Introduction by D. Grondin 9.30-9.40

9.40-9.55 S. Rodotà - Former Chair Italian Data Protection Authority - University «La Sapienza - IT

Biometrics, the Body and the Integrity of the Person

Questions (10 minutes)

10.05 -10.20 K.P. Mortensen - The Privacy Office, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security - USA

What is Privacy in the Context of Biometrics?: Fair Information Principles Applied to Biometric Data Collection, Use, and Retention

Questions (10 minutes)

10.30-10 .45 M. Donohue- Information Computer Policy Division - OECD

OECD work on privacy and security: a first look at biometrics Questions (10 minutes)

10.55 -11.10 Coffee

11.10-11.25 J. Kropf - Director of International Privacy Programs - U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security - USA

Cross Border Information Sharing Using Biometrics - Transparency and Accountability

Questions (10 minutes)

11.35-11.50 J. Lodge - University of Leeds - UK

Ethics and eJustice: dilemmas of ejudicial cooperation

Questions (10 minutes)

12.05-12.20 D. Blackburn - FBI Investigative Technological Division - USA

Overview of Biometrics within the US Government

Questions (10 minutes)

12.30-12.45 R. Küster - SMC Trust GmbH - DE

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Questions (10 minutes)

12.55 General Discussion

13.20 Conclusive remarks by S. Gutwirth

Lunch 13.30-14.20

14.20- 18.00 2ND SESSION: BIOMETRICS FOR SCREENING AND SURVEILLANCE

Chairs: Guenter Egon Schumacher, DG INFSO, - European Commission

P. Youn - International Biometric Group - US

Rapporteur: I. van der Ploeg - Erasmus University - NL

Introduction by Guenter Egon schumacher14.20-14.30 J. Caplan - University of Oxford - UK

Individual Identity Documentation - a Historical Overview

Questions (10 minutes)

14.55- 15.10 A. Liberatore-DG RTD, Programme on Social Sciences and Humanities Research

Balancing» security and democracy: the case of biometric identification in the EU

Questions (10 minutes)

15.20-15.35 W. Crews - Competitive Enterprise Institute - USA

Human Bar Code: Monitoring Biometric Technologies in a Free Society

Questions (10 minutes)

Coffee break 15.45-16.00

16.00-16.15 W. McMeechan - European Biometric Forum - IR

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Questions (10 minutes)

16.25-16.40 R. Ryan - National Biometric Security Project - USA

A Draft Protocol for the Collection, Use, Dissemination and Storage of Biometric Data

Questions (10 minutes)

16.50-17.00 P.J.A. De Hert - Center for Law, Science, Technology & Society Studies - BE

Biometrics: a question of liberty or human dignity

Questions (10 minutes)

17.10-17.25 M. Kosaka - Smart Identification Solution Division, Information & Telecommunication Systems, Hitachi Ltd - JA

Finger vein authentication technology and its applications to realization of secure society

Questions & Comments (10 minutes)

17.35 General Discussion

18.00 Conclusive remarks by P. Youn

16 DECEMBER 2005

9.00-11.20 3RD SESSION: DIGITAL IDENTITIES

Chairs: R. Chadwick - University of Lancaster - UK

I. Maghiros - Institute for Prospective Technological Studies DG JRC - European Commission

Rapporteur:D. Kreuzer - University of Siegen - DE

Introduction by R. Chadwick 9.00-9.10

9.10-9.25 J. Daugman - Cambridge University - UK

What now is biometrically possible

Questions (10 minutes)

9.35-9.50 D.O. Jaquet-Chiffelle - Virtual Identity and Privacy - University of Berne - CH

Biometrics in the light of Virtual Identities

Questions (10 minutes)

10.00-10.15 M. Snijder - Biometric Expertise Group - NL

Where do we want biometrics to go

Questions (10 minutes)

10.25-10.40 H. J. Boitel - Biometric Bits - USA

The Individual’s Right to a Unique, Efficiently Provable and Scalable Identity

Questions (10 minutes)

Conclusive remarks by I. Maghiros 10.50-11.00

Coffee break 11.00-11.20

11.20- 13.20 4TH SESSION: THE UNIQUE IDENTIFIER: DREAM OR NIGHTMARE?

Chairs: Representative fromDG ENTR

H. Chang - CEO & President - Humanscan - DE

Rapporteur :S. Bird - Massachusetts Institute of Technology - USA

Introduction by Representative fromDG ENTR11.20-11.30

11.30-11.45 P. Schaar - Chair EU Data protection Group (Art. 29) - DE

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Questions (10 minutes)

11.55-12.10 A. Maceo - Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis Study and Technology - USA

Biometrics: Gold Mine or Land Mine for Law Enforcement?

Questions (10 minutes)

12.20-12.35 W. Bicz - OPTEL - PL

Fraud possibilities in biometric devices

Questions (10 minutes)

12.45-13.00 I. Dror - University of Southampton - UK

Identification, Technology, and Human Experts: Where might it go wrong

Questions (10 minutes)

Conclusive remarks by H. Chang 13.10-13.20

Lunch 13.20-14.20

14.20-17.00 GENERAL DISCUSSION

Chairs:N. Ringou -, EC, DG JLS

G. van Steendam - International Forum for Biophilosophy - BE

Introduction by N. Ringou 14.20-14.30

Reports from the sessions

14.30-40 M. Savastano - CNR - IT

14.40-50 I. van der Ploeg - Erasmus University - NL

15.00-10 D. Kreuzer - University of Siegen - DE

15.10-00 S. Bird - Massachusetts Institute of Technology - USA

Coffee break 16.00 - 16.10

16.10-16.30 Discussion

Participants are kindly requested to register themselves for the general discussion before the opening of the session.

Summary of the discussion by G. van Steendam

16.40 Future initiatives

16.40-16.50E. Mordini - Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship, co-ordinator of the BITE project

16.50-17.00 Final Remarks delivered by J-M. Baer - Director, European Commission, DG Research - Science and Society