The different practices related to biometrics must reconcile efficiency with a respect for fundamental rights.
The efficiency of biometrics is intimately bound up with the use of computers. To afford the comfort and security that are the goals of biometric techniques, the information is recorded in databases for quick and reliable identification. But the security of a database is never absolutely guaranteed and the information stored can be used for purposes other than those for which it was initially collected.
For this reason, a data protection law was adopted in France in 1978, and a data protection authority, the Cnil, was established to oversee it. This law was modified in 2004 to include risks linked to the use of biometric systems.
