SIA Opposes New Hampshire Biometric Bill

  • Feb 25, 2010

A bill being considered by the New Hampshire legislature that would ban nearly all uses of biometrics is an inappropriate response to privacy concerns that would deprive residents of an important security technology, the Security Industry Association (SIA) has told state lawmakers.

HB 1409 would prohibit any government agency or private entity from using biometrics as part of identification cards -- except for employee identification cards  --  and from requiring a person "to disclose or provide biometric data as a condition of doing business with, engaging in any business activity or relationship with, or obtaining services from, that agency or entity." Biometric data is defined to include everything from DNA to retinal scans to facial features to fingerprints.

"If this legislation is rushed through the legislative process without careful examination of its potential consequences, New Hampshire residents will be deprived of the benefits of a safe, secure, and efficient technology, and their security will be severely compromised," SIA said in a statement submitted to the New Hampshire House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee for the panel's public hearing on the bill on Tuesday. "SIA firmly believes that the broad restrictions proposed by HB 1409 to prevent government agencies and private businesses from authenticating identities through the use of biometric data reflects a significant misunderstanding of the security features and privacy safeguards of this widely-adopted technology."

SIA proposed that lawmakers scrap the bill and instead conduct a study of the use of biometrics.

"We understand that lawmakers have legitimate concerns about their constituents' privacy, but the fear of biometrics is based on misperceptions," SIA Director of Government Relations Don Erickson said. "This lack of understanding of the technology leads to dangerous bills like this one, which not only would prohibit the use of systems that can enhance security with no loss of privacy but could even prevent private organizations that work with children from collecting fingerprints to do background checks on prospective volunteers. We urge the committee to reject this bill and instead adopt our proposal to conduct a study that would enable them to see the value of biometrics technology."

 

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”