Sharing experiences - an important part of ID work

Biometrics is defined as measurable biological characteristics or personal behavioural features like fingerprints or facial photo. Photo: iStock

Last week Norwegian ID Centre was host to a new workshop established by Norwegian Biometrics Forum and European Association for Biometrics. Norwegian Biometrics Forum enables the participants to take part in the exchange of information, knowledge and experiences, linked to the field of biometrics.

Biometrics is defined as measurable biological characteristics or personal behavioural features like fingerprints or facial photo. In combination with the relevant competence and proper tools biometrics can be an important tool in the work of establishing and mapping identity.

Confidence is important

Marianne Henriksen from the Directorate of Taxes talked about core challenges that Norwegian authorities are currently facing in the ID field, including the questions surrounding the linking of an identity to a person and the following verification of the link.

Henriksen also pointed out another prerequisite of this work, namely the one of rebuilding confidence in society in such a way that we will know that the map actually corresponds with the terrain; that the physical person and the identity match.

Many are those who have experienced that this very thing is easier said than done. And this is where biometrics work linked to ID and establishing ID will play an important part.

Sharing experiences is crucial

The sharing of experiences was another topic that was emphasized by the members of the Biometrics Forum. Director Bernard Morvant of the French SOFIE has many years’ experience with international ID work, and he sees clearly the importance of active exchange of information.

 “What I see as most important is the exchange of experience between people and organizations with different roles and approaches, so as to enable us to compare and thus better predict what will come in the future on research, regulations and future methods. This also includes what we have seen here today, like the new GDPR regulations and the effect of them on ID administration”, says Morvant.

Other lecturers were Eivind Hoffmann from the Norwegian Immigration Directorate, Atle Årnes from The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (DPA) and Bian Yang and Raghavendra Ramachandra from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).