Biometrics
Biometrics refers to the use of analytical tools and devices which capture, record and/or process people’s physical or behavioural data. This can include faces (commonly known as facial recognition), fingerprints, DNA, irises, walking style (gait), voice as well as other characteristics. Under the EU’s data protection laws, this biometric data is especially sensitive. It is linked to our individual identities, and can also reveal protected and intimate information about who we are, where we go, our health status and more. When used to indiscriminately target people in public spaces, to predict behaviours and emotions, or in situations of imbalances of power, biometric surveillance such as facial recognition has been shown to violate a wide range of fundamental rights.
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Greece: Clarifications sought on human rights impacts of iBorderCtrl
On 5 November 2018, EDRi observer Homo Digitalis filed a petition to the Greek Parliament about the pilot implementation of the iBorderCtrl project on the Greek border. The Minister in charge will have 25 days to reply to it.
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Smart Borders: the challenges remain a year after its adoption
After the initial rejection of the Smart Borders package in 2013, the European Parliament voted again on 25 October 2017 to finally adopt it, including the Entry/Exit System (EES) and amendments to integrate it into the Schengen Borders Code.
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Facebook: Unanswered questions
On 9 April 2018, EDRi received an invitation from Facebook to attend a meeting to the loss of trust in Facebook, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
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New EU proposals foresee mandatory biometrics in national ID cards
The European Commission has proposed a host of new measures aimed at “denying terrorists the means to act” which include the mandatory inclusion of two biometrics – fingerprints and a facial image – in all ID cards and residence documents for European Union citizens and their family members issued by Member States.
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Fundamental Rights Agency report: The risks from biometrics and EU IT systems
On 27 March 2018, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) published a report entitled “Under watchful eyes: biometrics, EU IT systems and fundamental rights” . The report analyses the impact of technologies used for immigration and security purposes on the right to privacy and data protection.
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SHARE Foundation: Sharing Serbian successes
In this blogpost published on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of EDRi we present our member SHARE Foundation. SHARE Foundation is a Serbian non-profit organisation founded in 2012, with the goal to fight for the public interest in every critical battle affecting digital rights.
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Call for public views on video-surveillance
The European data protection commissioners, united in the Article 29 Working Party, invite the public to respond to a position paper about videosurveillance. The paper gives an interesting overview of the differences in legislation and measures adopted in the different member states since the transposition of the Privacy Directive (95/46/EC). The Commissioners are specifically worried […]
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