Monday, July 09, 2007

Irish workers refuse to use biometric system

Workers at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin have refused to give up their personal biometric data for a biometric system that "concerns the health and safety of the Abbey’s 100 full-time staff working in the buildings at various times across the course of the morning, day and night."

How can giving up your personal biometric data improve your health and safety working in a theatre? The biometric system is in it's first phase with the second phase being rolled out monitoring time and attendance according to the Sunday Business Post.

If adult workers are not happy with using such systems - why is it used with children without gaining parental permission or even letting parents know?

There are obviously concerns amongst the adult population about the uses of such technology and the level of personal data we as adults wish to give up, yet as a society we are creating a "do as I say not as I do" situation with biometrics in schools and children's privacy rights.

3 comments:

ThoughtCriminal said...

Children are told to do what adults say, and probably wont question having their biometric details taken. What bothers me is that they will grow up thinking this is normal.

How will unique and origional personalities grow out of a system which forces all children into not deviating from the norm even slightly? They'll have it at school, and then when they start their working life.

I can understand people wanting some kind of control over children, but what's happened to the human approach?

Gawain Towler said...

I see that Mullholland has tonight's adjournment debate
"Adjournment Debate: Collection of biometric data in schools (Greg Mulholland) (until 10.30 p.m. or for half an hour, whichever is later)."

Pippa King said...

Thanks for that Elaib - see my next post - hope you can view the debate.