Automated Processes of Identification, Behavioral Analysis and Risk Detection (Including Technologies for the Use of Images and Airport Security Control)

Presented at Spanish Data Protection Agency Seminar, Madrid, Spain, 9-11 June 2010

44 Pages Posted: 22 Sep 2012

See all articles by Douwe Korff

Douwe Korff

Oxford Martin School - Global Cyber Capacity Centre; Eur. Univ. Viadrina - Centre for Internet & Human Rights; Yale University - Information Society Project; London Metropolitan University

Date Written: 2010

Abstract

This paper covers the use of biometrics, genetics (and the future use of genomics), “profiling”, and other new (and not-so-new) technologies, for the purposes of identification, behavioural analysis and risk detection.

After an introduction in section 1, section 2 discusses existing and emerging technologies for the capturing of still or moving images and other biometric data, and the limitations in their use for full identification. It then focuses on the new technologies used for their analysis, before critically examining the claim that these new technologies and processes are able to detect actual or future security risks from the (measurements of the) attributes or behaviour of the persons concerned. It concludes that many of the new technoligies are little more than "snake oil".

Section 3 sets out the data protection (informational privacy) issues that arise in this respect, starting with questions of definition, and then moving to the application of the rules in the current main European instrument in this field, Directive 95/46/EC including the in-principle prohibition in the Directive of the use of “fully automated decisions”.

Section 4 sets out conclusions and recommendations.

A short and somewhat eclectic bibliography is attached.

Keywords: privacy, data protection, automated identification, behavioral analysis, risk detection

Suggested Citation

Korff, Douwe, Automated Processes of Identification, Behavioral Analysis and Risk Detection (Including Technologies for the Use of Images and Airport Security Control) (2010). Presented at Spanish Data Protection Agency Seminar, Madrid, Spain, 9-11 June 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1977874 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1977874

Douwe Korff (Contact Author)

Oxford Martin School - Global Cyber Capacity Centre ( email )

University of Oxford
34 Broad Street
Oxford, OX1 3BD
United Kingdom

Eur. Univ. Viadrina - Centre for Internet & Human Rights ( email )

Grosse Scharrnstr. 59
Frankfurt (Oder), Brandenburg 15230
Germany

Yale University - Information Society Project ( email )

P.O. Box 208206
New Haven, CT 06520-8206
United States

London Metropolitan University ( email )

London
United Kingdom

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