biometric data

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

physiological or behavioural data uniquely identifying individuals, including fingerprints, facial geometry, iris patterns, voice prints, gait patterns, and DNA; biometric data is classified as a special category of sensitive personal data under GDPR and similar frameworks because it cannot be changed if compromised — unlike passwords or credit card numbers, a leaked fingerprint database is a permanent privacy breach; biometric surveillance — including facial recognition systems deployed by police, border agencies, and private corporations — has generated intense civil liberties controversy, with cities including San Francisco, Boston, and Portland banning or restricting governmental use of facial recognition; the combination of biometric data with other personal datasets creates uniquely powerful individual profiles that defy traditional privacy protection approaches