How Reliable is Palm-Print Recognition Technology?

If there is one industry whose progress can never be defined and is being enhanced daily, it is the technology sector. Every now and then, something fresh, efficient, and mind-boggling is introduced, and the audience is taken aback. The palm-print recognition technology is one such feature that has lately been released. The technology was developed and brought to light by Chinese companies, and it is expected to be used shortly. However, this MIT Technology Review article explores a few ethical and practical concerns about the use of technology.

The article opens by implying that the technology needs you to scan your palm, which then shares your data with a Chinese tech giant. Tencent has taken the lead in developing this concept. In exchange for the special soda deal, individuals must put their palms on palm recognition equipment and record their palm prints, as instructed by a WeChat employee in an openly shared video on a social networking site. According to the article, the technology is more accurate and secure than other kinds of biometrics, and it is more difficult to identify a person if their palm-print picture is exposed. Although fingerprints and face identification have been the most extensively utilized biometric technologies, the incorporation of visible lines and veins beneath the skin distinguishes palm-print recognition technology. The article states that this technology has become the next frontier in biometric recognition. However, a shortage of training data has delayed the technology’s progress. Even with the benefits of palm-print recognition, widespread implementation would pose privacy threats to customers, not to mention practical challenges. As a result, the question of whether or not technology should be utilized to make payments persists. This creates a problem solely because if stores are hacked using standard credit card technology, they can change their credit card number. They will, however, very certainly fail to alter their palm prints. Although the article goes on to say that the implementation of the technology is advantageous, owing to the predominance of the pandemic in China, since it allows users to conduct contactless payments. However, the article concludes by implying that when something becomes pervasive and convenient, it also becomes a weapon for the government to strengthen societal control.

Although palm-print recognition technology has the potential to be a major success, it poses a threat to public privacy. The aforementioned are a few key topics highlighted about the software in the MIT Technology Review article.