ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the nature of biometric as “body technology,” with claims to authenticate identity and enhance security and trust. Several writers have advanced “governance” as an alternative framework to the traditional notion of “government.” Governance is more encompassing in its reach because it allows to locate power outside the formal boundaries of government. Security is usually defined in military terms to refer to national security. Security thus defined aims at protecting the nation-state from external threats. Verification confirms that people are who they say they are, while identification determines who the person is. Regardless of the biometrics measured, the technology relies on pattern recognition, which converts images into a binary code by means of an algorithm. In spite of expressed doubts about the efficacy of the technology, the biometrics industry persisted in promoting its role in guaranteeing security at the personal, institutional, and national levels.
