The privacy-versus-convenience dilemma fueled by biometric technology

In the world of technology, the line between human and machine is becoming increasingly blurred. This is a theme explored in the classic film, Bladerunner, set in 2019, where memories and the capacity for empathy are the biometric characteristics that distinguish humans from robots.

As our lives become more digitally intertwined, the science and the arts are seen as warily eyeing each other, much like two candidates for an arranged marriage, in the context of identity and privacy. The UK is addressing this issue head-on by creating an 'Open Standards Federation'. This system allows multiple agencies, including Google, Facebook, and PayPal, to participate in identity verification.

The UK's aim is to provide a sense of ownership of identities and what they can be used for, while also mitigating the risk of all identities being stolen and misused. This is particularly important in today's world, where the increasing digitalization of lives through phones increases vulnerability, making secure identity verification more important than ever.

Biometric markers like fingerprints have been the principle methods used to identify an individual. In fact, only an individual's unique DNA, vein patterns, iris coloration, and fingerprints are truly unique to them. The standardization and large-scale implementation of biometric identification were enabled primarily through the efforts of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior around 2005–2007.

The debate over privacy vs. convenience arises as new identity verification methods are developed, and individuals must choose which they value more. For instance, every day, Apple and Samsung together release over half a million devices carrying fingerprint scanners.

However, the concept of the individual - what it is and what it means to be one - is expected to be as important as the technologies used to identify them and the channels built to connect them together. This was a sentiment shared by Sherlock Holmes, who was said to be a big admirer of the 'French savant', Alphonse Bertillon. Bertillon is renowned for inventing the mug shot in 1888 and creating a library of photos of individuals known to the Parisian police. He also made measurements of heads and developed the science of Anthropometry.

In Europe, British citizens do not carry ID cards and are under no legal requirement to produce any when challenged. This contrasts with the past, where individuals like Bertillon meticulously documented every detail of an individual's physical appearance for identification purposes.

As we move forward, it is clear that the issue of identity verification will continue to be a hot topic. Matthew Maxwell, Associate Creative Director at Sapient Nitro, encapsulates this well when he says, "The idea of the individual - what it is and what it means to be one - is expected to be as important as the technologies used to identify them and the channels built to connect them together."