Starting in the early 2000s, thousands of schools throughout the world have begun to establish biometric systems. A number of reasons are given for such practices, including struggling against truancy, replacing library cards or meal cards by fingerprinting systems, etc. Opponents of school biometrics have lifted up privacy concerns against the creation of databases which would progressively include the entire population. Truancy is a term used to describe any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. ... A modern-style library in Chambéry In the traditional sense of the word, a library is a collection of books and periodicals. ... The tip of a finger showing the friction ridge structure. ... Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to keep their lives and personal affairs out of public view, or to control the flow of information about themselves. ... In computing , a database can be defined as a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer so that a program can consult it to answer queries. ...

Fingerprinting in schools over the world

Many schools have implemented fingerprint locks or registered children's fingerprints. In the UK biometrics in schools have been largely used for library book issue, but are increasingly being used for cashless catering systems, enabling parents to deposit money into students catering accounts, to be debited by a child's biometric fingerscan at the point of sale. Biometric technology for registration is also used in the UK. In the USA biometrics systems are used primarily for catering, as mentioned above, with library and registration biometrics in use also. The tip of a finger showing the friction ridge structure. ... At Walt Disney World, biometric measurements are taken from the fingers of guests to ensure that the persons ticket is used by the same person from day to day. ...

Fingerprint locking systems happened in the United Kingdom (fingerprint lock in the Holland Park School in London ^[1], databases, etc.) ^[2], in Belgium (école Marie-José in Liège ^[3][4]), in France, in Italy, etc. The NGO Privacy International has alerted that tens of thousands of UK school children were being fingerprinted by schools, often without the knowledge or consent of their parents ^[5]. In 2002, the supplier Micro Librarian Systems, which use a technology similar to US prisons and German military, estimated that 350 schools through-out Britain were using such systems, to replace library cards ^[5]. In 2007, it is estimated that 3 500 schools (ten times more) are using such systems ^[6]. Under the Data Protection Act (DPA), schools in the UK do not have to ask parental consent for such practices. Parents opposed to such practices may only bring individual complaints against schools ^[7]. The tip of a finger showing the friction ridge structure. ... Holland Park School was opened in London, UK, in 1958 and was the first purpose built comprehensive school. ... Liège (Dutch: Luik, German: Lüttich; before 1946, the citys name was written Liége, with the acute accent) is a major city located in the Belgian province of Liège, of which it is the capital. ... Privacy International (PI) has been instrumental in establishing the modern international privacy movement. ... The Data Protection Act (DPA) is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament that provides a legal basis and allowing for the privacy and protection of data of individuals in the UK. The act places restrictions on organisations which collect or hold data which can identify a living person. ...

The alleged use of taking children's fingerprints is to struggle against school skipping or/and to replace library cards or money for meals by fingerprint locks. In Belgium, this practice gave rise to a question in Parliament on February 6, 2007 by Michel de La Motte (Humanist Democratic Centre) to the Education Minister Marie Arena, who replied that they were legal insofar as the school did not use them for external purposes nor to survey the private life of children ^[8]. Such practices have also been used in France (Angers, Carqueiranne college in the Var — the latter won the Big Brother Award of 2005 for its hand geometry system, etc.) although the CNIL, official organism in charge of protection of privacy, has declared them "disproportionate." ^[9]. The CNIL, however, declared in 2002 hand geometry systems to be acceptable. The Humanist Democratic Centre (French: Centre Démocrate Humaniste or CDH) is a centrist, christian-democrat, Belgian French-speaking political party. ... Maison dAdam, House of Adam, the oldest house of Angers. ... Var is a département of southeastern France. ... Big Brother Award (If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever. ... Hand geometry is a biometric that identifies users by the shape of their hands. ... The Commission nationale de linformatique et des libertés or CNIL is an independent French administrative authority whose mission is to ensure that data privacy law is applied to the collection, storage, and use of personal data. ...

History

Biometric systems were first used in schools in the UK in 2001. Use of this technology in schools is now widespread, though there are currently no official figures for how many schools employ the technology. At Disney World, biometric measurements are taken of the fingers of multi-day pass users to ensure that the pass is used by the same person from day to day. ...

• Knight, J. Parliamentary Written Answer 110750, Hansard, January 29, 2007.

Applications

Biometric technologies in schools are used to borrow library books, for cashless canteen systems, vending machines, class attendance and payments into schools. Biometric technologies for home/school bus journeys are also under development.

• Grossman, W. "Is school fingerprinting out of bounds?", The Guardian, March 30, 2006.

Types of biometric in use

Primarily the type of biometric employed is a fingerprint scan or thumbprint scan but vein and iris scanning systems are also in use. The tip of a finger showing the friction ridge structure. ...

• "Biometrics in Schools, Colleges and other Educational Institutions", Data Protection Commissioner, 2007

Ages of children using biometrics

The biometric systems can be used by children as young as three years old.

• Devlin, K. "Nursery children to be fingerprinted", The Daily Telegraph, September 23, 2006.

Countries currently using biometrics in schools

The two countries at the forefront employing biometric technology in schools are Britain and the USA. Biometric systems are also used in some schools in Belgium and Sweden but were withdrawn from China and Hong Kong schools due to privacy concerns.

Ballard, M. "Halt to school fingerprinting", The Register, November 9, 2006.

Belgium Fingerprint recognition in high schools used for registration.

Sweden Kvarnby School in Stockholm used to login to school computers.

India Hyderabad used for canteen and registration.

Security concerns related to the use of biometrics in schools

Recently, serious concerns about the security implications of using conventional biometric templates in schools have been raised by a number of leading IT security experts, including Kim Cameron, architect of identity and access in the connected systems division at Microsoft, who cites research by Cavoukian and Stoianov ^[10] to back up his assertion that "it is absolutely premature to begin using 'conventional biometrics' in schools".

Advantages claimed for school biometric systems

Biometric vendors claim benefits to schools such as improved reading skills, decreased wait times in lunch lines and increased revenues ^[11]. They do not cite independent research to support this. Educationalist Dr Sandra Leaton Gray of Homerton College, Cambridge stated in early 2007 that "I have not been able to find a single piece of published research which suggests that the use of biometrics in schools promotes healthy eating or improves reading skills amongst children... There is absolutely no evidence for such claims".

Legislation governing the use of biometrics in schools

The following laws/legal opinions/guidance are in place to regulate children's use of biometric technology. To date the practise of using biometrics in schools is only legally regulated in the USA:

• Legislation in Illinois, SB1702, 2007

• Legislation Illinois, SB2549, 2005-2006

• Legislation in Iowa, HF685

• Opinion of Jennifer M. Granholm, Attorney General, State of Michigan

Australia have a Biometric privacy Code that was adopted in September 2006 but it does not specifically mention children.

• Biometrics Institute Privacy Code approval determination, September 2006

Ireland has specific guidance on the use of biometrics in schools, colleges and other educational institutions.

• Biometrics in Schools, Colleges and other Educational Institutions, Data Protection Commissioner, 2007

References

Current logo of The Register. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion (US$7. ... Current logo of The Register. ... In 1989 Ziff Davis Inc. ...

See also

• Biometrics
• Fingerprinting
• Big Brother
• Privacy International

At Disney World, biometric measurements are taken of the fingers of multi-day pass users to ensure that the pass is used by the same person from day to day. ... This article is about human fingerprints. ... Big Sister may refer to: Big Brother as portrayed in the BBCs 1954 production of Nineteen Eighty-Four. ... Privacy International (PI) has been instrumental in establishing the modern international privacy movement. ...

External links

• Fingerprints at the Open Directory Project
• The use of fingerprints for identification in schools - Leave Them Kids Alone
• Online Fingerprint Dictionary - Definitions, references, and more.
• Fingerprints.tk - Comprehensive site about fingerprints.
• Biometrics in Schools - Latest news on the use and deployment of biometric systems in schools; particular emphasis on UK and US.
• School Biometrics: The Legal Conundrum - Patricia Deubel, Ph.D. / T.H.E. Journal, 10 April 2007.
• Biometrics in K-12: Ban or Buy? (Part 1) - Patricia Deubel, Ph.D. / T.H.E. Journal, 18 April 2007.
• Biometrics in K-12: Issues and Standardization (Part 2) - Patricia Deubel, Ph.D. / T.H.E. Journal, 25 April 2007.
• Biometrics in K-12: Vendor Claims and Your Business Plan (Part 3) - Patricia Deubel, Ph.D. / T.H.E. Journal, 02 May 2007.
• Index of relevant articles by Kim Cameron, architect of identity and access in the connected systems division at Microsoft.
• How to fake fingerprints
• New Yorker: Do fingerprints lie?
• Latent Print Certification Board - International Roster of Certified Fingerprint Experts
• The Fingerprint Society - Society for Fingerprint Examiners.
• Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis, Study and Technology - U.S. national working group on fingerprint examination.
• Latent Print Examination
• Fingerprint Processing Guide
• Biometrics
• Biometrics Research Lab - Michigan State University
• Galton's Finger Prints
• Henry, Faulds, and Herschel's works on fingerprints
• Will West as fable
• Fingerprint research and evaluation at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Fingerprint pattern distribution statistics
• The Science of Fingerprints, available at Project Gutenberg.