New Zealanders support biometric code of practice: Privacy watchdog

New Zealanders are concerned about the use of biometric technology and support the proposals formulated in the upcoming biometrics Code of Practice, according to the country’s privacy watchdog.

Since releasing the draft code in May, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) has received 250 submissions from members of the public, businesses, government agencies and advocacy groups. The submissions came from sectors such as banking, border security, biometrics vendors and retailers as well as stakeholders such as the Māori, according to an OPC press release.

A total of 180 people submitted and 70 agencies have sent their opinions on the regulation which aims to update the country’s 2020 Privacy Act. The technical document addresses issues such as privacy safeguards, transparency obligations and limits to some uses of biometric classification. New Zealand does not currently have special rules for biometric technologies.

“Almost every one of the submissions from members of the public told us that people were concerned about the use of biometrics in New Zealand,” says Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster.

Although Webster noted that the draft code received “broad support,” the technical document has also received criticism. Business group Digital Identity NZ (DINZ) argues that the Code could “potentially worsen privacy,” highlighting inconsistencies in using technical definitions. Regulatory uncertainty could also hurt investment in facial recognition, the organization said.

Industry group NZTech addressed an open letter to the OPC expressing similar concerns, and DINZ and its Biometrics Special Interest Group chimed in that the groups are aligned. The OPC responded that the process is ongoing, and it is reviewing the feedback received.

“We heard that the proposals need to be clear and purposeful, practical to apply, and avoid creating an unreasonable compliance burden,” Webster says in the recent announcement.

The decision on the new biometrics Code of Practice is expected later this year with more public input expected.

New Zealand’s efforts to regulate biometrics come amid a record surge in privacy complaints and warnings from rights groups over facial recognition use in retail. In a separate move, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) issued a request for information on facial recognition in an attempt to clarify issues such as discrimination and bias, particularly when it comes to its use by law enforcement.

New Zealand prepares for digital ID conference

New Zealand is awaiting its Digital Trust Hui Taumata 2024, a conference diving into the country’s digital identity and trust ecosystem.

The one-day conference will be held on August 13, 2024 in Wellington. Opening remarks will be held by Judith Collins, Minister for Research, Science and Innovation of New Zealand.

Visitors can expect discussions on the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework (DISTF), which came into play on July 1st after being passed in Parliament in April 2023. The regulation aims to establish secure digital identity services in New Zealand.

The first keynote on digital identity trust frameworks will be held by Juliana Cafik, Microsoft’s principal program manager for identity and access management (IAM). Another notable speaker is Conrad Morgan, chief product and technology officer for New Zealand at Worldline Merchant Services, who will talk about building the country’s first digital identity acceptance network.

Attendees can also expect to hear from experts on biometrics and AI, digital public infrastructure, mobile driver’s licenses (mDL), the metaverse, passkeys, digital payments and more. A special panel will review the sessions from a Te Ao Māori or Māori worldview perspective.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  Digital Identity New Zealand (DINZ)  |  Digital Identity Services Trust Framework (DISTF)  |  digital trust  |  New Zealand  |  New Zealand Privacy Commissioner  |  regulation