https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-06-21/biometric-data-is-being-collected-from-refugees-asylum-seekers/11209274

Asylum Seekers and Refugees all around the world now undergo iris scans and fingerprinting in order to obtain protection and food aide.  This is a use of Digital Technologies to solve a problem, that of many refugees and asylum seekers arriving with no identity documents. Another need for this technology is to ensure aide is spread around and given to those in need, without them ‘double dipping’ so to speak.

It is interesting because, is this a violation of privacy? Do refugees and asylum seekers understand the extend of what is happening, who is collecting their data, for what purpose and who will their data be shared with?

Are they being unjustly coerced into providing a massive amount of personal information because they are in a life or death situation and need assistance?

I also liked this point from the article:

“Take only the data you need, not as much as data as you can collect, just because there are technical means to allow that today,” Ms Lindsey-Curtet said.

I hope you find this article as interesting to read as I did.

Thanks

Jacqui