UK schoolkids fingerprinted, prompting privacy concerns

The Inquirer ^ | July 22, 2002 | The INQUIRER Staff

[JameRetief]

UK schoolkids fingerprinted, prompting privacy concerns

"Dangerous, illegal, unnecessary," says watchdog

By INQUIRER staff: Monday 22 July 2002, 15:11

PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN are being fingerprinted in a scheme that human right watchdog Privacy International up in arms. The body says tens of thousands of kids are being fingerprinted at school, often without parents' consent, or even without their knowledge.

The electronic finger printing is being conducted as part of a cost cutting "automation" of school libraries. Privacy International has condemned the procedure, branding it "dangerous, illegal and unnecessary", and has called for a prohibition of the technology in schools.

The watchdog's director, Simon Davies, said the development marked a "bleak moment" for privacy in Britain. "Such a process has the effect of softening children up for such initiatives as ID cards and DNA testing", said Davies. "It's clearly a case of 'get them while they're young' They are seen as a soft target for this technology".

Privacy International citicised the office of the Information Commissioner for praising the use of fingerprinting technology in schools. In a letter to the system vendor, Micro Librarian Systems (MLS), the Commission's compliance officer, Robert Mechan, suggested that finger printing would aid compliance with the Data Protection Act".

The technology is being used in UK schools - sometimes in conjunction with digitised photographs - to replace library cards. Each child is required to place a thumb onto an electronic scanner, and the identity of the print is then stored in a computer.

Privacy International warned the practice was in clear violation of the Human Rights Act and the Data Protection Act. "The law states that privacy invasion must be proportionate to the threat," said Mr Davies. "A few lost library cards do not warrant mass finger printing." µ

[He Rides A White Horse]

The body says tens of thousands of kids are being fingerprinted at school, often without parents' consent, or even without their knowledge. The electronic finger printing is being conducted as part of a cost cutting "automation" of school libraries. Privacy International has condemned the procedure, branding it "dangerous, illegal and unnecessary", and has called for a prohibition of the technology in schools.

Well, they don't have a second amendment, so I imagine they'll have to just shut up and do what they are told.

[goodnesswins]

Hmmm.....another reason to homeschool.....until the public libraries try this....

[goodieD]

Well, they don't have a second amendment, so I imagine they'll have to just shut up and do what they are told

LOL! Great response.. frankly it surprises me that anyone over there is complaining about this. If they were actually concerned about rights of any kind..the time to complain was LONG ago. They are much too late for that now.

[goodieD]

If you are a Christian homeschooler and using a public library, you might want to ask your library if they, 1)have filters for their computers (if they have public computers), and 2) If they accept book donations from homosexual organizations.
Ours does, which is why we, and several other Christian families no longer patronize the local library system.