Citizen s perceptions on digital identity

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1 Citizen s perceptions on digital identity Dr Elpida Prasopoulou & University of Essex

2 Citizens perspectives on digital identity Why do we refuse ID-cards...but love our customer loyalty programs? Why are we concerned about electronic patient files..but share many personal details on Facebook? Which taboos and desires will inform our responses to future technologies of identification and authentication? 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

3 What is digital identity? Digital identity is the sum of all digitally available information about an individual How people feel about their personal information Technologies for identification/authentication Desires and taboos that will inform people s responses to identification technologies 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

4 Sourced from government, security, industry, health, pop culture, science fiction, art and design, high tech and gadgets Year 1: Scenarios of identity management Putting individuals in different contexts with different IMTs at the centre. 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

5 Year 2: Public (dis)engagement UK Four large-scale empirical studies running consecutively General public but also targeted population segments General public Q-study Survey Cultural Probes Elites Focus Groups Vulnerable groups 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

6 Q-study: Citizens perspectives on biometrics What uses of biometrics are acceptable to identify yourself in everyday life? Explore how society understands biometrics Public understanding of biometric technologies Reconstruction of main discourses Examine how specific biometrics technologies are seen in the context of everyday life 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

7 Research design Two on-line studies: Students (lay experts): 2 x 30 respondents, potential for comparative studies across countries in future steps Experts in biometrics: 30 experts on biometrics drawn from the biometrics industry, think tanks, civil society organisation, privacy advocates and governmental bodies Respondents were asked to sort a set of 50 statements according to whether they agreed or disagreed with them Justify their choices for +5/-5 statements 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

8 Statements - Core themes Statements where sources from government reports, civil society reports, academic articles, specialized press identity, empowerment, surveillance, accountability security 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

9 Findings: Four main factors/viewpoints Factor A Privacy vigilants Factor B Conservative techies Factor C Safety champions Factor D Casual adopters All of the respondents clearly agreed with one of the statements: In the wrong hands, biometrics have the potential to violate privacy Four different viewpoints clustered around this main statement 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

10 Privacy vigilants I have the right to be forgotten, to be free and unfollowed Concerned about the development and spread of new biometric technologies Representative statements: With each new development in biometric technologies, users are getting less control over their data, in terms of knowing when, where, and why it is used The idea that there may be new biometric technologies that can identify me without me ever knowing, makes me uncomfortable They are rather sceptical towards the technological capability of biometrics 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

11 See biometrics as a powerful instrument in the hands of governments and corporations They cluster around issues of accountability and empowerment: 1. Data linkage 2. User control over data (when, where and by whom it is used) 3. Use of biometric data without explicit consent 4. Effects of these technologies on existing everyday practices They are favourable to practices of contestation (i.e. sousveillance) 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

12 Conservative techies First technology, then security must be perfected when this is done, then I would feel that the benefits would make it worth having a biometric ID Cautious users: positive to government uses of biometrics although concerned about privacy and the possibility for data leakage (i.e. medical information) But, happy for biometric technologies to be used provided data is well protected 27/06/2013 Biometrics Institute Showcase 12

13 They see biometrics as an alternative to multiple passwords Tech savvy: they favour uses of biometrics in personal devices (e.g. Smartphones) Mobile phone owners should be prepared to download gait recognition software on their phones to prevent others accessing their information in the event of theft or loss Positive to the use of biometrics for personnel management Hand geometry or fingerprinting for capturing labour data Concerned about souveillance : e.g. the use of smartphones to record police action 27/06/2013 Biometrics Institute Showcase 13

14 Safety champions Biometrics is a guarantee of security for all the global community This groups shares similar concerns with Factor A They are preoccupied by the possibility of data linkage and the use of their biometric data for unrelated purposes However, they are quite favourable for the use of biometrics for border control and security purposes (digital passports, the use of biometrics for immigration processing) 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

15 Factor C also is against surveillance and advocates an active form of citizenship to counter such phenomena However, it differentiates between types of biometrics Iris scanning is more acceptable than fingerprint recognition, since it does not have criminal associations It is also favourable to biometrics for domestic uses Interestingly enough it is the only group that is not negative to the use of biometrics in on-line social networks 27/06/2013 Biometrics Institute Showcase 15

16 Casual Adopters Biometric is based on technology continuously verified and is the result of the best scientific research Factor D has an instrumental view of biometrics Adherents to this viewpoint see biometrics as technical solution to a variety of problems ranging from multiple passwords to fraud and immigration control It should be noted that casual adopters expressed also trust in existing technological solutions for biometrics They also see some types of biometrics especially face recognition as a gadget 20/03/2014 Tomorrow s Transaction Forum

17 Identity and biometrics All four viewpoints are anchored around specific understandings of the relationship between identity and personal data Factor Privacy vigilants Conservative techies Safety champions Casual adopters Views on identity Digital identity becomes a constrain to personal freedom Technological solutions rigidify social interactions Biometrics need to be resisted Body as natural password Biometrics for convenience/protection of personal devices as along as data is protected and not used for unrelated purposes Identity is related primarily with formal, institutional purposes (e.g. border control) Biometrics acceptable in this context. Also acceptable for safety reasons (seemingly this use is unrelated to personal data) Not well formed conception of digital identity Biometrics are seen just another identification technologies. No real concerns expressed 27/06/2013 Biometrics Institute Showcase 17

18 Privacy Factor Privacy vigilants Conservative techies Safety champions Casual adopters Views on privacy Their view of privacy is the traditional, legal one which views privacy as an individual right but also a societal good that needs to be protected Privacy equals protection of personal data contained in personal devices such as smartphones Sensitive to the idea of biometrics disclosing medical information Privacy is not hampered as long as biometric data collected in different contexts is not aggregated (contextual integrity) Privacy as we know it a thing of the past They think the technological infrastructures in place are secure enough for such personal and unique data. ow it a thing of the past 27/06/2013 Biometrics Institute Showcase 18

19 Summary Different understandings on the role of digital identity in everyday life leads to different responses to the use of biometrics in various contexts Each viewpoint has a unique understanding of privacy which also influences their acceptance of biometrics and the contexts of use Views on empowerment, accountability and surveillance are in direct relationship with these core themes (e.g. identity, privacy) 27/06/2013 Biometrics Institute Showcase 19

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