• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Our Services
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Top Nav Social Icons

FindBiometrics

FindBiometrics

Global Identity Management

  • Biometrics
    • What are Biometrics?
    • FAQ
    • Biometric Associations
    • Companies
    • Premier Partners
  • News
    • Featured Articles
    • Interviews
    • Thought Leadership
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • Year in Review
  • Applications
    • Biometric Security
    • Border Control and Airport Biometrics
    • Consumer and Residential Biometrics
    • Financial Biometrics
    • Fingerprint & Biometric Locks
    • Healthcare Biometrics
    • Justice and Law Enforcement Biometrics
    • Logical Access Control Biometrics
    • Mobile Biometrics
    • Other Biometric Applications
    • Physical Access Control Biometrics
    • Biometric Time and Attendance
  • Solutions
    • Behavioral Biometrics
    • Biometric Sensors and Detectors
    • Facial Recognition
    • Biometric Fingerprint Readers
    • Hand Readers & Finger Scanners
    • Iris Recognition
    • Biometric Middleware and Software
    • Multimodal Biometrics
    • Physiological Biometrics
    • Smart Cards
    • Vein Recognition
    • Voice and Speech Recognition
  • Stocks
  • Events
  • Companies
  • Podcasts

Australian Government Pushes for Mass Biometric Surveillance of Citizens

October 4, 2017

“The aim is to enable police and security authorities to quickly identify almost any citizen in public using facial recognition technologies.”

Australia’s political leadership is looking to incorporate all of the country’s state-issued driver license photos into a federal database for the purposes of biometric identification, specifically with respect to combating terrorism.Australian Government Pushes for Mass Biometric Surveillance of Citizens

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has indicated that he will push for the measure along with other anti-terror initiatives at a national security meeting this Thursday, with the leaders of New South Wales and Victoria having preemptively announced their support for it.

The aim is to enable police and security authorities to quickly identify almost any citizen in public using facial recognition technologies. Speaking to ABC Radio, Turnbull framed it as an expansion of powers already in place, asserting that as much as half of Australian citizens’ face biometrics are already available to authorities via their passport photos.

Implementation of such a measure would represent one of the boldest steps toward mass surveillance among Western countries in recent history; a similar, secret initiative undertaken by the FBI caused an uproar in the US when it was uncovered last year.

The Australian government’s effort has taken shape in the wake of this weekend’s mass shooting at a Las Vegas country music concert, an incident that may have left many Australians feeling more receptive to stronger security measures and less concerned about their potential privacy rights violations. But it also arrives in the wake of America’s massive Equifax data breach, which has already prompted concern about whether the Australian government can adequately protect a database containing all Australians’ driver license data.

Other anti-terrorism measures to be proposed by the Turnbull government this week include a new federal detention law enabling authorities to hold terror suspects for 14 days, and the criminalization of the possession of bomb-making instructions and similar materials.

Sources: Sky News, The Sydney Morning Herald, BBC News

–

October 4, 2017 – by Alex Perala

Related News

  • Are Biometrics Controversial? Take the Year in Review Survey and Tell Us Your PositionAre Biometrics Controversial? Take the Year in Review Survey and Tell Us Your Position
  • New Maine Law Curtails Police Use of Facial RecognitionNew Maine Law Curtails Police Use of Facial Recognition
  • Privacy Advocates Raise Concerns About Australia’s Proposed Online Safety ActPrivacy Advocates Raise Concerns About Australia’s Proposed Online Safety Act
  • ID Talk & KNOW Identity Present — That Human Touch: Diversity in BiometricsID Talk & KNOW Identity Present — That Human Touch: Diversity in Biometrics
  • INTERVIEW: BioConnect CEO Rob Douglas on Biometric Enterprises, Converged Security, and San Francisco’s Face Recognition BanINTERVIEW: BioConnect CEO Rob Douglas on Biometric Enterprises, Converged Security, and San Francisco’s Face Recognition Ban
  • CBP Commissioner Clarifies Biometric Screening Issues to Concerned SenatorsCBP Commissioner Clarifies Biometric Screening Issues to Concerned Senators

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Australia, biometrics, controversy, facial recognition, Privacy

Primary Sidebar

MEMBERS ONLY:

The Tech Bubble Is Bursting. VCs Are Nervous. What Does That Mean for Biometrics?

Sponsored Links

TECH5 showcase logo

TECH5 is an international technology company founded by experts from the biometrics industry, which focuses on developing disruptive biometric and digital ID solutions through the application of AI and Machine Learning technologies.

TECH5 target markets include both Government and Private sectors with products powering Civil ID, Digital ID, as well as authentication solutions that deliver identity assurance for various use cases. 

Learn more: www.tech5.ai

cmitech logo

CMITech is a leading provider of high performance, cost effective iris recognition systems. The company is setting the industry standard for advanced user interfaces that are fast, intuitive and effortless. Serving enrollment and authentication solutions of all sizes, CMITech systems include binoculars-type, wall mount, desktop, and kiosk-type product configurations.

Onfido logo

Onfido is building the new identity standard for the internet.Our AI-based technology assesses whether a user’s government-issued ID is genuine or fraudulent, and then compares it against their facial biometrics. That’s how we give companies like Revolut, Zipcar and Bitstamp the assurance they need to onboard customers remotely and securely. Our mission is to create a more open world, where identity is the key to access.. For more information, please visit www.onfido.com

ThreatMark brings trust to the digital world by providing cutting-edge fraud prevention solutions. Major banks use ThreatMark’s AI-powered technology and behavioral biometrics to build secured banking experience to precisely verify their legitimate users, seamlessly across all digital channels. All while securing the users’ most precious assets and keeping the fraudsters away. Learn more: www.threatmark.com/

With its secunet border gears product portfolio and specialised consulting expertise, secunet supports police forces and security authorities in their sovereign tasks. Whether ABC gates, self-service kiosks or biometric middleware – each component helps to strengthen identity protection and to accelerate verification – in mobile and stationary scenarios.

Mobile ID World Logo

Mobile ID World is here to bring you the latest in mobile authentication solutions and application providers. Our company is dedicated to providing users with the best content and cutting edge information on technology, news, and mobile solutions for your mobile identity management needs.

Recent Posts

  • Singapore Airport to Expand Use of Biometric Screening Tech
  • TECH5 Joins OIX to Advance Identity Policy
  • Senate Asks FTC to Investigate ID.me for Deceptive Business Practices
  • Nine of the Top 10 Liveness Detection Systems are Vulnerable to Deepfakes: Report
  • Innovatrics Bolsters Digital Onboarding Toolkit With Identity Service API

Biometric Associations

IBIA and fido

Tweets

Footer

  • About Us
  • Company Directory
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Archives
  • CCPA: Do not sell my personal info.

Follow Us

Copyright © 2022 FindBiometrics