Refugees Rely On Biometrics To Receive Aid, Even As Privacy Concerns Loom (dailydot.com)

Posted by BeauHD on Saturday February 20, 2016 @07:51AM from the iris-scans dept.

New submitter Selena Larson writes: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) rolled out a pilot program for refugees this week that connects biometric data directly to points of sale and enables people to buy groceries with an iris scan. The computerized system communicates with the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, which keeps a database of biometric data collected from refugees around the world. If the individual is confirmed to be a refugee in Jordan, based on their iris scan, a bank the organization works with approves the transaction.

1 of 43 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Cheaper by PinkyGigglebrain · 2016-02-20 12:00 · Score: 1, Funny

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just tattoo a bar code onto everyone's hand or forehead? Maybe use an ink the is only visible under UV or IR?

That way when the refugees get to go home or end up settling in someplace new they can get the tattoo removed, or not. But it wouldn't be as big a privacy risk as a retina scan or other biometric that can't be changed when it gets compromised.