Data Privacy is Power.

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What is Biometric Data?

Biometric data is your most personal and intimate details that identify you. Whether aware or not, you have biometric data that is unique to you and you only. This information is valuable not only to you, as it belongs to you, but to corporate interests when they are able to collect, store, and sell this identifying consumer data without the needed regulations.

What Does Biometric Data Include?

  • Fingerprints

  • Face Scans

  • voice prints

    Voice Prints

  • DNA

  • Retina Scans

Why is Biometric Data Privacy So Important?

Your biometric data identifies you: it is unique to you and only you. Biometric data is permanent and unable to ever change.

A data breach involving biometric data could have devastating consequences, including financial loss, identity theft, unwanted surveillance, and a severe violation of personal privacy.

Think about your fingerprints, for example, which you can never change like you could a password if your email got hacked. Imagine you use your fingerprint to clock into work, or unlock your phone, or your front door: what would happen if someone else had this kind of access? The potential consequences of a failure to protect biometric data could result in a severe violation of your privacy and security.

How Can Biometric Data Be Misused?

The more available your biometric information is, the more likely it could be used against you.

  • Facial recognition software has major flaws with correctly identifying people of all races equally. This creates the potential for mistaken or stolen identity that could be life threatening in certain situations.

  • When biometrics are collected and stored in databases, the police are able to access or buy this information for use against you, bypassing the need for a search warrant.

  • If your biometric data is available to the public, information like your geolocation, fingerprints, or voice could be used to gain access to you and more of your private information.

  • ICE has been known to use biometric data to surveil and conduct raids, cross referencing the biometric data they collect with existing databases to locate people for deportation.

Does Illinois Protect Biometric Data Privacy?

YES! Illinois prioritizes biometric data privacy by having the most progressive and protective data privacy law in the United States.

The Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) sets a standard for how Illinois businesses must handle Illinois’ individuals biometric information.

What Does BIPA Protect?

Introduced in 2008, BIPA was one of the country’s first state laws to address business’s collection of biometric data. BIPA’s main points regulate the collection of state residents’ biometric data by companies: 

  1. Collection requires prior informed consent

  2. Mandates disclosure in a limited right

  3. Contains protection obligations and retention guidelines

  4. Prohibits profiting from the use of biometric data

  5. Creates a private right of action for individuals harmed by BIPA violations

  6. Mandates statutory damages up to $1,000 for each negligent violation and up to $5,000 for each reckless or intentional violation

Read BIPA

Your most private data is protected in Illinois, let’s keep it that way.

 

How You Can Defend Your Data

You have the right to be informed about your most personal and identifying data being collected or sold.
Join our Coalition! Join the movement! Join the conversation about data privacy and protection!

Join us in the movement to defend your biometric data privacy.

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