From now on: ID card with fingerprint only

What the European Parliament decided in 2019 is now also mandatory in Germany: anyone applying for a new identity card from August 2, 2021 must take two index finger prints. This was announced by the Federal Ministry of Interior, Construction and Internal Affairs (BMI) on its website
website
With. Until now, fingerprinting in the ID card was optional in this country, but it has been mandatory since 2007 when a new passport was issued. Above all, the European Union wants to put an end to counterfeiting in order to make it more difficult for terrorists and criminals to enter the Union.

Version number: Another security feature

To facilitate this as much as possible for the inspection personnel, the document also has a version number printed on it. This would also make identifying authenticity easier and, above all, faster. Regardless, the EU has been working on the ID card design: the font at the top of the document is no longer black, but blue. European Union flag in the upper left corner. This again contains the German country code.

BMI promises data security

While changes in the appearance of the identity document are not given much attention, experts see the obligation to read fingerprints more important. This is despite the fact that the responsible BMI has always indicated that fingerprints will be deleted “by both the manufacturer and the authorities” after the new ID card is issued and delivered. In addition, only security authorities in EU countries are able to read biometric features “for identification purposes” – and only “if there are doubts about identity after comparing images”.

The study finds the EU target too broad

Network data protection expertise takes into account German law and EU requirements
Study (PDF file)
However, it is very widespread. If the organization has its way, no fingerprint is required if the person’s photo is already available. Moreover, the network upsets the fact that every citizen has to register two fingerprints at the same time. According to the organization, it was also possible to use a fingerprint or iris of the eye, which reduces the risk of abuse.

Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen and the FDP see the risks

There is also criticism from the opposition: “This development is hostile to civil rights and highly questionable under constitutional law,” the deputy chair of the parliamentary group Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Konstantin von Knots, told the
Liberation Network Germany (RND)
. He suspects that data collection brings real security gains. Instead, there will be significant risks for citizens: “If data is misused in the wrong hands, it will lead to permanent risks for those affected, because biometric data is practically immutable. […]’, so von Knots. FDP parliamentary group deputy leader Stefan Thomae sees it similarly, describing the additional safety feature as a ‘disproportionate means’.

Frank Mccarthy

<p class="sign">"Certified gamer. Problem solver. Internet enthusiast. Twitter scholar. Infuriatingly humble alcohol geek. Tv guru."</p>

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