Synonyms
Data protection
Definition
Privacy is a multidimensional and evolving concept, whose definition varies according to country and culture. It is thus difficult to agree on a precise definition that is universally accepted. Nevertheless, certain notions of privacy have become fairly standard, especially among industrialized nations. These include informational, bodily, territorial, and communications privacy. Of these, biometrics not only impacts informational privacy but also affects bodily and territorial privacy as well. However, contrary to the claims of civil libertarians and to Hollywood hype, biometrics need not be antithetical to privacy. Indeed, by understanding the relevant issues, it is possible to design into a biometrics system measures that will safeguard, and even enhance, privacy. Doing so will increase user acceptance of biometric systems, or at least, render such deployments more tolerable.
Introduction
Losing one’s privacy often entails consequences. At best,...