New "Sign In/Out" system at work

A question about : New "Sign In/Out" system at work

Hi.

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this, sorry if not, but here goes.

Recently at work we had a new system installed for signing in and out - called Watson. It's basically a computer located just as you walk in, into which you enter your ID number then scan your finger!
(we all had to register our fingerprints the other day on it).

Can private companies actually do this? How do I know they are storing this safely?

I am sure I thought only the police or such as Home Office were allowed by law..

Thank you.

Best answers:

• And the problem is?
• If you have consented as part of your T's and C's of employment of course they can, don't really see the issue though unless you are up to no good leaving your fingerprints inside bank vaults (suggest you wear gloves!)
  Also you can be "re-assured" the way the Watson and other sign in/out systems store finger print info is useless to the Police etc, it is not a photo or copy of your fingerprint, just ceratin specific reference points.
  You should only get worried if your company insists on microchipping you like a pet (already quite common in Europe)
• Yes, it is all legal and above board.
  I do a lot of work in this field and there are many products on the market, Watson being just one of them. You have a higher level of security using biometrics than the standard prox, or prox and pin, card as anyone can use a card. With bio only the legitimate user can gain access to the system. (and no it doesn't work like they suggest in Demolition Man..)
  Perhaps the company have been stung in the past with other workers clocking their friends in and out when they aren't there? I know when I worked for a defence company(many years ago now) that some of the people working overtime on a Saturday morning would take it in turns to stay until the set leaving time and clock out the others, even though they had left earlier
  The exact same questions were asked when photo ID was introduced.
• What 'data' are you concerned about? Your fingerprint is simply a binary code when scanned that identifies the employee and the time the scans are taken identify the date/time of the event, nothing more.
  In use, however, you'll probably find it will fail within a few months and they will have to fall back on the RF tag option (because the scanner often malfunctions).
  I wouldn't worry - the scan identifies you only as someone to be paid, and that's a comforting thought.
• From what I remember when we used these readers as a login device. They don't hold a full print image, and compare far less points than would be required to submit a fingerprint in court.
• My daughter uses a biometric system to pay for her lunch at school. We've also used biometric systems in Florida for park entry, it doesn't worry me at all, what worries you about it ? What do you think anyone could do if they got hold of it ?