Biometrics and Consumer Trust

The issue of biometric authentication of identity is a topic that has a rightful place in this newsletter. There are many aspects to this debate and last month the topics of fingerprint readers and ‘Security vs Convenience’ were explored.

The aim of this article is to look back at how we got here and raise some questions as to where this may lead in terms of consumer trust in smartphone-based identity applications.

How did we get here?

One of the early challenges with smartphones was the need to verify that the user is entitled to access the device. Smartphone implementations initially required the input of a PIN code (Personal Identification Number) to unlock the device as a way to deter theft or unauthorised access to services. However, the capabilities now built into smartphones allow identity verification without such manual entry of PIN codes by the acquisition of biometric data on the user.