News and insight into biometric identification and authentication

Ontario looks to step up privacy protection

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Ontario Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian released a statement calling for stricter approaches to privacy protection in the wake of expanding use of emerging biometric and other surveillance and identification technologies, according to a CBC News article. The document released by the commissioner detailed the expectation that new technologies be required to have privacy protection measures built-in.


Specifically, Cavoukian outlines possibilities such as systems identifying access levels and not necessarily the person in efforts to protect a person’s attributes. Additional suggestions for future privacy restrictions include encryption of video surveillance.

Read the full story here [end] 

Human Recognition Systems, a developer of biometric solutions, has partnered with Thales to develop technology for the UK’s INSTINCT-Technology Demonstrator 2 (TD2) Airport Security Program. The INSTINCT-TD2 program is conceived in hopes of developing, trialing and showcasing the next step in airport security technology solutions by having the government work closely with private industry.

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GlobalPlatform has announced the launch of a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) Client Application Programming Interface (API) Specification designed to support mobile devices entrusted with sensitive information.

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Prudence Chan has resigned as CEO of Hong Kong smart card provider Octopus Holdings after admitting to selling customers’ personal data to business partners, according to iTnews.com.au.

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A primary school in Manchester, UK is piloting a program in which students as young as four years old use fingerprints rather than library cards to check out books from the school library. The new program is meeting some opposition, according to a Popular Science article, in the form of concerned parents and privacy advocating groups.

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The Canadian Visa vendor Home Trust has selected Gemalto to manage its migration to EMV smart payment cards. Up until now the company has supplied only magnetic strip payment cards. With the support of Gemalto, Home Trust will begin issuing the new cards through pilot programs in Ontario.

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The province of Ontario is pushing for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to adopt the Presto smart card system for public transportation, according to CBC News.

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