Transformative biometrics and the exercise of arbitrary power

Abstract

This paper argues that biometrics have been re-framed in ways that decouple them from the discourse of balancing liberty and security with profound implications for the exercise of democratically legitimated power at a time when the transformative impact of ICTs on governance and society is obscured by the pace of change and accelerating mobile forensic applications and policy intent. It questions the framing of biometrics and the adequacy of law to combat the negative impact on society in the absence of EU governance and an independent EU certified quality standards agency for biometrics and associated training.