Risks of Recognition
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is rolling out a new digital ID program with plenty of potential benefits — and major cybersecurity implications.
“Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.” — Article 6, UN Declaration of Human Rights
Tired, hungry, and scared, she approaches the front of the line and is greeted by aid workers. They scan her eyes, catalog her fingerprints, and snap her photo. For the first time in her life, she now has formal identification — a digital ID that will give her access to a range of economic, social, and political services and rights. But, these benefits come with a cost. A digital ID can also be used to track her movements, behaviors, and establish a data trail that leaves her vulnerable to human rights abuses.
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