Biometric data sovereignty
Should New Zealand allow citizens’ biometric identity data to be accessed by the US government for border security purposes?
Citizens of New Zealand can currently travel to the US for short visits without a visa as members of the Visa Waiver Program. Participation in the program requires that member countries meet security and information-sharing standards, which may include cooperation on identity verification and border security data. Sharing biometric information, such as fingerprints or facial recognition data, helps border security to confirm traveller identities and detect fraud. However, such arrangements raise questions about exactly who has access to citizens’ personal information once it leaves the country.
