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BIRD platform for responsible innovation takes wing

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0969-4765(11)70055-8Get rights and content

The BIRD Platform (Biometric Innovation and Responsible Development of Identification Technologies) was launched in Brussels at the joint conference of the HIDE and RISE projects. Based on the idea that biometric technology is transforming many aspects of human life and that these changes imply a certain level of risk for societies as with many technological developments, the purpose of the BIRD Platform is to provide a common and permanent forum for all stakeholders at European and international levels to facilitate and structure the debate on the sensitive policy, legal and ethical issues around the development and use of biometrics.

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Emerging debate

In the wake of the events of September 11 2001, the most recently introduction is the application of biometrics in travel documentation. A sharp debate is emerging around biometric technologies, which offer new opportunities but also present new challenges, and this has to be reflected in the wider debate on the constant co-evolution of technology, science and society.

The main issues at stake concern biometric databases and large scale applications, remote and covert biometrics, behavioural and

Ethical issues

Ethical issues include the extent to which the rise of biometric identification and authentication is creating new risks and opportunities and in what ways are these compatible with democratic and legal standards, or which data protection rules should govern data flows across borders.

The BIRD Platform was officially launched on 9 and 10 December 2010 in Brussels in occasion of a joint conference of the HIDE2 and RISE3 projects on ‘Ethics and Governance of Biometrics and Identification

Data protection

In his opening keynote, Hustinx pointed out that the EC is in the middle of a review of the current EU legal framework for data protection, and that this review is very timely and should focus on providing more effective data protection in the European information society of 2015 and beyond.

In the meantime, according to Hustinx it is essential to ensure ongoing dialogue and cooperation between the various players, both at a European and at an international level. From a more philosophical

International governance

International governance of biometric technologies is needed for different reasons including their increasing international application (eg e-financial transactions that are based on identity management), and the fact that biometrics can play an important role in human trafficking issues and human rights enforcement, as well as in web governance and international freedom of speech issues, where biometrics can represent a crucial tool to enable anonymity.

The BIRD initiative aims at strengthening

The way forward

Emerging technologies could act as strong empowering tools, but they also have the potential to raise critical social and ethical issues that need to be constantly addressed. Responsible innovation of biometrics not only means sustainability, safety and health, but also compliance with fundamental human rights, civil liberties, and key values such as accountability and transparency.

Moreover, it is essential to be flexible and capable of reframing issues and understanding these concerns from

About the author

Silvia Venier has a background in international relations (University of Trieste) and serves as a research assistant at the Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship, where she follows the RISE and HIDE projects, as well as the working group on ethical and legal issues of the EC Thematic Network on Biometrics, BEST.

References (3)

  • ‘BIRD, Biometric Innovation and Responsible Development of identification technologies’. Executive summary, Emilio...
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About the author

Silvia Venier has a background in international relations (University of Trieste) and serves as a research assistant at the Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship, where she follows the RISE and HIDE projects, as well as the working group on ethical and legal issues of the EC Thematic Network on Biometrics, BEST.

BIRD and CSSC

For further information on the BIRD Platform and on the upcoming events, contact the Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship.

The Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship (CSSC) is an independent, nonpartisan private research company specialising in the social, cultural and ethical implications of emerging technologies in various fields (eg, homeland security, biometrics and e-ID, smart ambient, ubiquitous computing, cloud computing, disaster preparedness, public health, eInclusion).

CSSC serves as a member of the Fundamental Rights Platform of the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union (FRA). The Centre is also a member of the European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics (EACME) and of the International Association of Bioethics (IAB). CSSC is an associate member of the Italian Confederation of Education and Knowledge Companies (Assoknowledge), where it leads the sector group on biometrics.

CSSC carries out its work in several ways, including studies, publications, training and co-ordination of multicentre research projects. For more information, see <http://www.cssc.eu>.

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