The Impact of Biometric Technology on Personal Security
Harmonized into our vast landscape of technology is an innovation that has become an integral component, aimed to shape the way we approach personal security. Your voice, fingerprints, and iris, have found new purpose due to this revolution. It’s almost like they’ve morphed into a more advanced set of features that offers you seamless authentication in an improved user experience.
Biometric technology provides a unique and secure method of personal identification. While traditional methods such as PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) and passwords, are often susceptible to theft or forgetfulness, biometric identifiers, on the other hand, are inherently linked to an individual’s physical characteristics, making them difficult to replicate or forge.
A key advantage of this technology is its convenience. Biometric systems allow for swift, accurate and uncomplicated identity verification. In a world where time is of the essence, a mere touch of a fingerprint sensor or a glance at a camera can grant access to your device or application.
This technology, like every other technology, can, without a doubt, be continually improved, scaled up, and solve issues that we might not have thought about yet. We’ve seen how it has been integrated into systems for companies to verify their customers through Know Your Customer (KYC), the process businesses and financial institutions use to verify and identify their clients or customers. The primary purpose of KYC is to prevent fraud and other illicit activities by ensuring that entities involved in financial transactions are accurately identified.
Companies, such as the prominent one in Africa, Identitypass, have been able to serve the emerging market with the creation of a facile process for tech organizations to validate the identity of their customers. Lanre Ogungbe, the CEO/Co-founder of Prembly, gives a unique insight into the intricacies of KYC in his article, KYC is a Journey, Not a Destination: The Value of Know-Your-Customer Innovation for African Tech Startups.
Moreover, significant strides have been made in various sectors such as the financial industry for securing online transactions and accessing sensitive information. The integration of this technology into banking systems has resulted in a strengthened system for securing personal data, carrying out transactions, and significantly reducing fraudulent activities.
Furthermore, this technology not only facilitates efficient time and attendance tracking, but also plays a pivotal role in workplaces, and reduces the likelihood for clocking in for another person in the workplace. Its widespread adoption in professional settings anticipates a growing prominence in educational institutions in the foreseeable future.
Besides, biometric data has long been used in forensic investigations for the accurate identification of individuals and for solving criminal cases. Legal proceedings have been supported by evidence established through biometric information.
Additionally, identity theft has been curbed through this technology. The uniqueness of personal identifiers make it more challenging for malicious actors to impersonate someone else. The reliability and accuracy of this technology are profound, making it an indispensable component of modern technology.
As our digital landscape continues to exude the fragrance of mind-blowing possibilities embedded in our future, let us seek to trace that scent to the future, and make tangible, the very essence of our aspirations to build innovative systems that facilitate our livelihood. In a sequel to this article, I will be sharing ethical issues and concerns, and methods by which such issues can be addressed.
