Suzanne Lockhart

1
Suzanne Lockhart

• M.A. Criminology thesis
• University of Melbourne, 2005
• Current PhD candidate
• University of S.A
• Identity Fraud Displacement
• effects and diffusion of benefits.
• ARC/AUSTRAC project.

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Community Perceptions of Biometric
Technology
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Human identification

• Moved from a social context of belonging to a
  group or family where associates rely on
  peculiarities such as appearance, voice and
  shared knowledge.
• To a more complex process based on economic
  necessity.

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Drivers for enhanced identity infrastructures

• Terrorism identity crimes
• Globalization of economic social life -
  transfer of information, goods, people and
  convergence of computing and communication
  technologies.
• Australia Whole-of-government approach to the
  integration of information systems, services,
  policies and programs.

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Australian context

• Australian Government states
• that it intends to keep
• pace with the application
• of biometric technology to
• improve border protection,
• combat identity fraud, address
• passenger volume issues and
• meet international obligations

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Social responses

• Indication that biometrics will become more
  widespread.
• However there has been little consideration of
  how the community may respond to the technology.

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Biometric system threats

• Technical threats software and hardware issues.
  Ability of the system to deal with physiological
  rate of change, gender, ethnicity, cost (user
  perspectives), direct/indirect medical
  implications.
• Human threats Unauthorized users, accidental
  and deliberate misuse.
• Physical threats natural disaster, storm,
  water, humidity, dust, lighting,
• Theoretical threats algorithm vulnerability,
  enrolment threats, physical and technical
  threats, circumvention, spoofing and biometric
  theft.
• Other technical standards, data management,
  interoperability etc.

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Research aim human factor issues

• Identify the community perception of biometrics.
• Identify and explore the variables which might
  influence the decision to adopt or reject
  biometric systems.
• Applied diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers
  1995).
• Diffusion research centers on the conditions
• which increase or decrease the likelihood that a
• new idea, product or practice will be adopted
• by the members of a given culture.

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Diffusion theory states

• The decision to adopt or reject a new idea or
  innovation
• will be influenced by
• receiver variables social and personal
  characteristics, perceived need for the
  innovation etc
• relative advantage, compatibility, complexity,
  triability, observability
• time and
• communication sources.

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Characteristics influencing perceptions of
biometrics

• Perceptions will change over
• time and be
• influenced by
• Personality characteristics
• Social issues

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1.Personality characteristics

• Emotional status influenced by phobias, drugs,
  alcohol, family, reasons for using the device
  (airports).
• Psychological status of user ability to
  understand and interact with the system.
• Psychological dysfunction psychological
  disorder, substance related, anxiety,
  dissociative disorder, impulsive control, reduced
  intellectual capacity, age.

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2. Social issues

• Privacy data sharing/mining, access, disclosure
  etc
• Function creep
• Religion
• Political stance
• Socio-economic status - education
• Usability of the system effective, convenient,
  reward, intuitive, signage
• Prior victimization offender/victim
• Physical disability/health issues wheel chair,
  arthritis, laryngitis, injury.
• Environmental issues climate, clothing, type of
  industry, access to device
• Social impact intimidation, technology
  experience

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Results

• Identified that the degree of
• awareness and knowledge
• potential users may have about
• biometrics is directly influenced
• by
• personal, social and experiential
  characteristics
• a perceived need for the innovation
• social system variables and
• communication behavior.

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Other points identified

• Many were overwhelmed by using multiple passwords
  and PINs.
• The level of knowledge about biometrics is low.
• Health and safety is a concern.
• The public would like more open debate and
  information about biometrics.
• Majority are prepared to forgo some issues about
  privacy to increase more secure authentication
  mechanisms.
• Fall back mechanism are required.
• Primary concerns relate to data sharing, data
  security and privacy issues.

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Social implications of introducing identity crime
solutions such as biometrics.

• Make society less trusting
• Change the modus operandi
• Displacement effects
• Diffusion of benefits

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• Thank you
• to discuss any of these issues
• please contact
• Suzanne Lockhart
• Canberra
• 0419 545 638
• suzannelockhart_at_virtual.net.au