Ethics
IBIA promotes the ethical development, deployment, and use of biometric and identity technologies.
Background
Biometric technologies—ranging from facial recognition and fingerprint scanning to voice authentication and keystroke dynamics—are fundamentally changing how we authenticate and verify our identity.
By binding credentials to the person rather than a password or device, biometrics offer a powerful combination of security and convenience. As biometric applications expand rapidly across sectors—from travel and financial services to law enforcement and healthcare—so too does public scrutiny based on unfounded claims of bias, fairness, surveillance, and the responsible handling of sensitive personal data.
Because these technologies rely on immutable physical and behavioral characteristics, they carry a unique set of ethical responsibilities to ensure they are developed and used in ways that respect individuals’ privacy and rights.
IBIA Position
IBIA Position
IBIA recognizes that the widespread adoption of biometrics is contingent not just on technical accuracy, but on public trust. To that end, IBIA and its Members are committed to the ethical and responsible use of biometric and identity technologies. IBIA’s ethical framework is built on five core principles:
Developers and users should work to ensure their biometric technologies are accurate across demographic groups and are not used for discriminatory purposes. In law enforcement and national security settings, only the most accurate technologies—as validated by established third-party evaluators like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—should be deployed.
Biometric technology users should communicate with individuals about what biometric information is being collected, what it will be used for, with whom it will be shared, and for how long it will be retained. Notice and consent should be provided for all but a narrowly defined set of national security and public safety situations, and communications should be in plain, accessible language.
Developers and users should minimize data collection, encrypt data in transfer and at rest, limit system access to trained and authorized persons, and monitor data flows to prevent unauthorized transfers.
Biometric technology users should publish privacy policies, complete Privacy Impact Assessments, submit algorithms to independent third-party testing, adhere to industry standards, and ensure that system operators are properly trained.
Regular operational performance assessments, timely system upgrades, and clear communication about data protection practices are essential. Human review of biometric match results should be maintained when making important decisions, and developers and users should accept personal responsibility for how biometric technologies are employed.
Additionally, IBIA members have endorsed an IBIA Statement of Principles and Code of Ethics, wherein members agree to use identification technologies solely for legal, ethical, and nondiscriminatory purposes; uphold the highest standards of systems integrity and database security; maintain accountability in marketing claims; and support free trade and open competition in the identification technology marketplace.
