Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Dear Sir,
Re: Children’s Thumbprints
In the Summer of 2002 we were contacted by parents who were concerned that their children’s thumbprints were being taken at school for use as an identifier in school libraries. When we raised these concerns with the Information Commissioner at that time, we were told that the manufacturers had offered assurances that schools would only introduce such technology after consultation with parents.
During the past two years, we have regularly received complaints from parents who say that their children’s thumbprints have been taken without any parental consultation or knowledge. In each case, we have advised them to write to your office in order to register that the assured ‘consultation’ has not been happening.
We are growing increasingly worried about the casual use of biometric data for relatively trivial purposes in schools. These are not secure buildings and computers present an easy target for anyone breaking into them. Given the growing emphasis on biometric information as a means of proving identity, we are concerned at the implications for the future integrity of such data should a computer containing such information be stolen.
We are also concerned that children themselves are being taught by example to regard such data as being of little importance. It is perhaps difficult to appreciate at 11 years old that one’s thumbprint cannot simply be replaced in the way that, for example, a PIN number can. We believe that children should now be learning from an early age to protect their biometric information from potential misuse.
We should be most grateful to have your views on this subject, and some advice on how best to deal with queries from the parents who contact us.
Yours faithfully,