Biometrics Institute develops self-assessment criteria for proposed Privacy Trust Mark

The Biometrics Institute has completed stage two of a project working towards a Privacy Trust Mark.Stage two of the project explores a set of initial technical criteria sufficient to pilot the proposal.The first stage, completed in mid-2015, provided a feasibility and landscape study as well as a roadmap for implementation which confirmed strong support for such a mark.Lockstep Consulting (who also carried out stage one) was engaged to do stage two of the project. This delivered a proposal for an initial self-assessed Trust Mark with a future pathway to an externally assessed and open standards-based accreditation scheme.”As a peak industry association, we have a key responsibility in educating people about the convenience and security biometrics can offer and in raising awareness of best-practice around the responsible use of biometrics. This work towards a Privacy Trust Mark builds on our previous work on the Biometrics Institute Privacy Guidelines and the Biometrics Institute Privacy Awareness Checklist” says The Hon Terry Aulich, Head of the Biometrics Institute Privacy Expert Group.The next stage of the project will be a small set of trials using the proposed self-assessment criteria to test the viability of the draft questionnaire and evaluation process.”This project is very exciting as it will help us work out how the process could work later and importantly, what needs to be in place in order to effectively manage and govern such a trust mark” says Isabelle Moeller, Chief Executive of the Biometrics Institute. “Several of our members have already expressed an interest in participating in a trial which could potentially lead to the issuance of a pending Trust Mark.”Ultimately the project aims to deliver a mechanism by which businesses can provide assurance to consumers that they meet an accepted standard of good privacy practice and therefore can reasonably protect biometric information collected and/or used. The trust mark is intended to be applicable internationally and be broadly compatible across jurisdictions. A summary of this work to date will shortly be released on the Biometrics Institute website.The Biometric Institute added in its statement that as an independent international forum for biometric users and other interested parties, that it aims to foster dialogue to better understand the privacy implications of current and future use of biometric tech.

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