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

Posted by BeauHD on 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.

6 of 43 comments (clear)

  1. God forbid we compromise their privacy by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not like they're the ones coming to *US* asking for help, or that they're populated with at least some potential terrorists, or anything.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by Trepidity · · Score: 2

      This doesn't seem aimed at wrongdoing by refugees (terrorism-related or otherwise), but rather at locals trying to get free food, with refugee biometrics/privacy being sort of collateral damage. The UNHCR has a database of refugees in Jordan (for example), and wants to use biometric data to tell them apart from local, non-refugee Jordanians, so that only the refugees can get food aid.

      I can see why they want that for ease of bookkeeping (harder to forge biometrics than refugee papers, etc.), but this is just a bookkeeping exercise aimed at cost efficiency.

      --
      10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
    2. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by klapek · · Score: 3, Insightful

      In Europe majority of refugees or "refugees" have lost all their ids but not their iphones. Another funny fact is that many of them claim to be minors, being a bit too tall or overall big for their age.

    3. Re:God forbid we compromise their privacy by andymadigan · · Score: 2

      The cards would be stolen by criminals and gangs. If they had PINs, then the PIN would be beaten out of them by said gangs.

      --
      The right to protest the State is more sacred than the State.
  2. Re:What's the problem? by sumdumass · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They are relying on the charity of others.

    Seriously. Do people think they are owed something here? This system was likely being exploited and this is a way to ensure that resources go to those it was intended to go to. The alternative is to either not distribute resources or for the refugees to take a stand.

  3. Re:What's the problem? by sumdumass · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If i give you two dollars and say you have to walk across town to get it from me, the only way you are going to get it is if you come to me. This doesn't mean you owe me a trip across town, It means that you have to do something to get my charity but you are doing it for yourself.

    So no. The donors are not expecting the refugees to owe them anything. But they expect what they donate to be used for the people donated to. If the requires them to do something to help themselves out, it is all on them.

    It's not like they have to put 20 hours in at a salt mine or anything. If they want assistance, they can't expect it to be delivered on a silver platter.