Most Russians Oppose Collection of Biometric Data
According to research by NAFI, most Russians have a negative attitude toward the idea of submitting their biometric data, including for the Unified Biometric System (UBS), which was launched in 2018 and is operated by Rostelecom. Currently, the system is mainly used by banks, which can issue loans or open accounts remotely. As of August this year, 150,000 users were registered in the system.
Recently, the State Duma passed a law allowing the UBS to be used for remote identification when accessing financial and government services. Among other things, the system can be used for facial recognition payments.
Among those who have not yet uploaded their biometric data to the database, only one in five respondents is willing to do so in the future. Young people aged 18–24 are most likely to agree (25% of those who have not submitted such data), followed by those aged 25–34 (22%). The least willing are people over 60 (81% answered negatively when asked about their willingness), as well as those aged 35–44 (80%).
About a third of respondents in this group could not explain why they are unwilling to submit their biometric data. The rest generally do not see the need or are unsure about the security and confidentiality of their information. One in ten who have not uploaded their data do not use the UBS because they fear surveillance, do not want to be listed in the database, or consider this data too personal.
The study also noted that more than a third of respondents were hearing for the first time about the possibility of submitting biometric data at a bank.
Concerns and Distrust
A representative of Rostelecom explained to RBC that there are many myths about biometrics, which generate fears and distrust among citizens. In his opinion, the more people learn about what biometrics are, how to use them, and how they can simplify daily life, the more people will be willing to use them.
Danila Nikolaev, head of the Russian Biometric Society (an association that includes the largest developers of object recognition systems), believes that distrust is linked to the lack of official and transparent confirmation of the reliability of these systems. He emphasized that biometric recognition is probabilistic and prone to errors, some of which are not covered by legal frameworks. As a result, the risks of incorrect recognition are not yet insured, Nikolaev noted.
Dmitry Dyrmovsky, CEO of the Speech Technology Center group (which works on speech, face, and voice recognition), believes that Russians’ distrust of biometrics, as with any technology, stems from unclear personal benefits and a lack of understanding of the technology itself. He noted that the first problem will be solved as people gain experience using biometrics: they will realize that entering an office or gym “by face” is convenient, and during the coronavirus pandemic, biometrics help people access banking services safely and contactlessly. He also pointed out that “digital distrust, and sometimes even nihilism,” is fueled by the abundance of information about data leaks and attacks, even though “information security and biometric protection are a focus for key global providers.” Dyrmovsky emphasized that while most of the digital audience are millennials, “the age range is rapidly expanding, thanks to the adoption of biometrics in finance, telecom, retail, and other sectors.”
Public Trust and Data Security
According to the Telegram channel “Apple. Class action,” the issue lies in citizens’ distrust of how the government handles their personal data: “Obviously, people simply doubt the confidentiality and legality of using personal data. Every day we hear about data leaks from banks, mobile operators, hospitals, and other sources. And this is just about passport and registration data. It’s hard to imagine the scale of violations if criminals get access to our biometric data.
It’s unlikely that anyone will want to share their biometric data while databases with any personal information are freely bought and sold, and the legal framework is essentially nonexistent.”
Meanwhile, Russian banks are implementing their own biometric systems, which are more popular with clients than the UBS. For example, Sber has collected data from several million clients, and VTB from more than 130,000 clients. A VTB representative stated that clients trust banks and are willing to provide their biometric data.