Thu, April 10, 2008

Fingerprints 'not particularly private,' security czar says

By THE CANADIAN PRESS

The U.S. homeland security czar says Canadians shouldn't fear plans to expand international sharing of biometric information such as fingerprints.

Michael Chertoff says a person's fingerprints are like footprints.

"They're not particularly private," Chertoff said yesterday during a visit to Ottawa.

"Your fingerprint's hardly personal data, because you leave it on glasses and silverware and articles all over the world."

Canada is working with the U.S., Australia and the U.K. on the systematic exchange of biometric data -- unique identifiers such as fingerprints, facial images and iris scans.

The four countries have agreed to begin swapping identity information to improve border and immigration controls by 2009.

The concept is worrisome because it could mean an end to traditional caveats on how security information is used and shared -- strict conditions meant to ensure privacy, said Roch Tasse of the Ottawa-based International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group.

"It means it's a free-for-all amongst those countries who are partners in this project," he said.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/ ... 6-sun.html