How can the collection of biometric data without consent be misused?

By Aman Priyanshu

The collection of biometric data without consent can be misused in various ways, posing significant privacy risks. Biometric data, such as fingerprints, facial recognition patterns, and iris scans, is highly sensitive and unique to individuals. When collected without consent, this data can be exploited for unauthorized surveillance, identity theft, and tracking individuals without their knowledge. Misuse of biometric data can also lead to potential discrimination, as it can be used to categorize individuals based on their physical characteristics without their consent. Furthermore, unauthorized access to biometric data can result in serious breaches of privacy, as this information can be used to impersonate individuals or gain access to their personal and sensitive information.

To put it simply, imagine if someone took a mold of your house key without your permission. They could use this key to enter your home whenever they wanted, without you knowing. Similarly, when biometric data is collected without consent, it’s like someone taking a mold of your fingerprint or a picture of your face without your knowledge. This information can then be used to access your personal data or track your movements without your permission, just like someone using a copied key to enter your home without your consent.

Please note that the provided answer is a brief overview; for a comprehensive exploration of privacy, privacy-enhancing technologies, and privacy engineering, as well as the innovative contributions from our students at Carnegie Mellon’s Privacy Engineering program, we highly encourage you to delve into our in-depth articles available through our homepage at https://privacy-engineering-cmu.github.io/.

Author: My name is Aman Priyanshu, you can check out my website for more details or check out my other socials: LinkedIn and Twitter

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