In another attempt to go cashless, Kopitiam Group is rolling out a biometric system of payment at its food courts. That is, you simply just need to scan your thumb print to make a payment for your food. Of cuz, you'll need to sign up to register your print in your system and top up some cash value.
This seems like a brilliant idea of great convenience. No need to carry another card, simply press your thumb, "beep beep", thats it. However, if you think a little more, what are the implications of using this system? Essentially, it is a systematic collection of fingerprints of the public by a private commercial organisation.
"Patrons concerned about privacy and security issues related to the scanning of their thumbprint can use any of their fingers instead." From this statement itself, I am sure they already know the long list of implications of the system. Is there actually any difference in privacy and security implications between using other fingers and the thumb?
Our finger prints are unique bio features which we can use for personal identification as everyone are born with unique prints. Fingerprints are used for security identifications at protected sites, at banks, on our identity cards, by the police department for ID purposes, etc. In recent years, it is also used as an additional protection on laptops. Unlike the above mentioned biometric security systems, when people sign up with the Kopitiam, they are storing their unique bio security information with a 3rd-party commercial organisation (first being yourself, and 2nd the government by law).
I am not implying in any way that they will misuse information, or that their system is insecure. However, there are risks involved and what is at stake is something very important to us. So I urge you to consider carefully before signing up. Just as you should consider, next time, before you fill in any form with your personal details (name, contact numbers, address, email, IC/No, etc) for lucky draws or any other contests. Oh well, you may not win, but where do all these information go after that? FYI, I heard that the rate is currently $5/100 entries of personal info. =p
Nevertheless, this is a creative use of technology for the benefit of the public.
This seems like a brilliant idea of great convenience. No need to carry another card, simply press your thumb, "beep beep", thats it. However, if you think a little more, what are the implications of using this system? Essentially, it is a systematic collection of fingerprints of the public by a private commercial organisation.
"Patrons concerned about privacy and security issues related to the scanning of their thumbprint can use any of their fingers instead." From this statement itself, I am sure they already know the long list of implications of the system. Is there actually any difference in privacy and security implications between using other fingers and the thumb?
Our finger prints are unique bio features which we can use for personal identification as everyone are born with unique prints. Fingerprints are used for security identifications at protected sites, at banks, on our identity cards, by the police department for ID purposes, etc. In recent years, it is also used as an additional protection on laptops. Unlike the above mentioned biometric security systems, when people sign up with the Kopitiam, they are storing their unique bio security information with a 3rd-party commercial organisation (first being yourself, and 2nd the government by law).
I am not implying in any way that they will misuse information, or that their system is insecure. However, there are risks involved and what is at stake is something very important to us. So I urge you to consider carefully before signing up. Just as you should consider, next time, before you fill in any form with your personal details (name, contact numbers, address, email, IC/No, etc) for lucky draws or any other contests. Oh well, you may not win, but where do all these information go after that? FYI, I heard that the rate is currently $5/100 entries of personal info. =p
Nevertheless, this is a creative use of technology for the benefit of the public.
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