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NETHERLANDS: Chipcards opposed

01 September 1994

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The office for student bursaries (Informatie Beheer Groep) is preparing an experiment with a new chipcard for students. The chipcard will contain the holder's fingerprint and digitized photo. The card, to be issued to all students and pupils over 17, will replace the current student ID card and the student public transport reduction card. It can also serve to register exam results. Student organizations have rejected the chip card as a new step toward Big Brother.

The fingerprint database will soon hold data on a considerable section of the active population that would be of interest to law enforcement agencies. There is a clear trend in access technology to make increasing use of a person's fingerprint for identification purposes. This in spite of the fact that journalists have recently demonstrated that it is relatively easy to copy a fingerprint taken eg: from a drinking glass and make a rubber finger jacket which leaves indistinguishable but forged prints. The journalists succeeded in fooling the fingerprint check used at Schiphol airport to accommodate frequent airline passengers.

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