BIOMETRICS AND ITS ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Use of biometrics include using; fingerprints, facial recognition and iris scans for authentication and identification purposes because it is unique and reliable. However, they raise significant ethical implications such as:

I. Privacy concerns: Biometric data, once compromised cannot be changed like passwords, therefore there is risk of identity theft or unauthorized access if it falls on wrong hands.

II. Consent: obtaining informed consent for biometric data is crucial. The users that the data is being collected from should be aware of how their data will be used, stored and protected and they should have the option to opt-out if they are uncomfortable with biometric authentication.

III. Surveillance: use of biometric systems can lead to increased surveillance and erosion of personal freedom. Government may misuse biometric data to track individuals without their knowledge.

IV. Security: Biometric data can be stolen, forged or manipulated leading to security vulnerabilities.

V. Misuse of data: Biometric data can be misused for purposes beyond identity verification, such as tracking individuals without their consent or profiling them for targeted advertising or law enforcement purposes.

VI. Potential discrimination: biometric systems may exhibit bias or inaccuracies, leading to discriminatory outcomes, particularly for marginalized groups. For example, facial recognition systems have been shown to perform poorly for people with darker skin tones or women.

VII. Data ownership and control: users may lose control over their biometric data once it is collected, leading to concerns about ownership and misuse by third parties.

VIII. Accuracy and Reliability: Biometric systems may produce false positives or false negatives, leading to wrongful identification or denial of access. This can have serious consequences, especially in high stake environments like law enforcement agencies.