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Why facial experts say recognition and biometric data should only be used in exceptional situations

| News | Privacy, IT & Digital Business

Isabel Martínez Moriel analyzes the implementation of facial recognition and biometric data in public and private spaces in a report published today Business Insider

"I don't understand why they go against the development of this system that does what it does to help parents. I see more dangerous other things, such as social networks," says the mother of a student of the public institute Enric Borràs of Badadona (Barcelona) after learning that the Swedish data protection agency has fined more than 18,000 euros to a school that tested facial recognition to control the attendance of their students, the same technology that is used since 2012 in the Borràs.

" I believe that all schools should have this system," says the mother, a representative of the AMPA, who has preferred to remain anonymous.

The facial recognition of the Spanish company XIP Solucions allows parents of 1st year ESO students of the Catalan IES to receive an SMS on their mobile if their children have not been to class just a few minutes after it starts.

The same message warning is implemented in the rest of the courses, but it is somewhat slower, because teachers must roll call in the traditional way.

Isabel Martínez Moriel, Director of Andersen Tax & Legal, states that the least invasive measures must always be sought. By using biometric data in an educational centre, it constitutes not only special data, but also because of the fact that there is a relationship of equality between the children is not considered, the parents who authorise the use of data and the body that asks for such authorisation. 

You can read the full report in Business Insider.

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