Governance, Security and Technology: the Case of Biometrics

Elia Zureik and Karen Hindle examine governance in relation to information technology and in particular its application to the body. Biometrics, a technology which claims to authenticate and verify personal identity on the basis of behavioural and physiological features, focuses on the body as a unique identifier of individuals. Therefore, while information technology is often proclaimed as facilitating information-sharing, networking, and transparency, Zureik and Hindle point out that biometrics may allow for increased central control and will likely exacerbate social divisions instead of increasing consensus. The perceived need for increased security has led to a convergence of interest among biometrics corporations, governments, and fearful populations. In the name of security, the state has increased its levels of population management and control, forming a security-industrial complex between private firms and public organizations.