Fingerprinting of school children raises privacy concerns

Privacy International claims that the electronic fingerprinting is being conducted as part of a cost cutting “automation” of school libraries, and that at least 350 schools have installed the system, including Kenton School, Queens Park County Primary School and St. Annes (Stanley) CE School.

According to the report, which characterises the technology as “similar to the identification systems used in US prisons and for the German military”, children are required to place a thumb onto an electronic scanner. The identity of the print is then stored in a computer. Whenever the finger is scanned, the computer picks up the unique number and opens the pupil’s account.

The privacy group received a complaint from a mother whose child had been fingerprinted at Sacred Heart School in London without her consent. The Data Protection Act provides for the right to object to such actions – and following the mother’s exercise of this right, her son’s fingerprints have been removed from the school’s library computer system.

Privacy International also criticised the UK’s Information Commission’s compliance officer, who argued that fingerprinting “aids compliance with the Data Protection Act.” The group has lodged a request under the open government code for the release of all correspondence between the Commissioner’s office and technology vendors marketing fingerprinting equipment.

In the report, the group warns that the practice of fingerprinting for the purpose of library cards is in violation of the Human Rights Act and the Data Protection Act. A spokesman for Privacy International said: “The law states that privacy invasion must be proportionate to the threat. A few lost library cards do not warrant mass finger printing.”