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FINGERPRINTING |
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FINGERPRINTS Many schools are installing systems that use children's fingerprints - for example in the school library or canteen, or for school registration. Over the last five years ARCH has received many complaints that children's fingerprints are being taken at school without any consent from parents. The issue is at last being taken seriously. The Information Commissioner is now advising schools that they should obtain the consent of parents if a child is aged under 12, and the joint consent of both parent and any child aged 12 or over, and that fingerprint records should be removed by a data cleansing service when a child leaves the school. Guidance on the use of fingerprints was issued to schools by BECTA and by the Information Commissioner during July 2007. The easiest way to access these documents is via the clickable links in our blog. We are still far from satisfied because we believe that the matter is sufficiently serious to warrant full consultation and parliamentary debate, and we will continue to press for this. An Early Day Motion has been tabled calling for a full debate - more information here and we hope that anyone who feels concerned about the use of children's fingerprints will ask their MP to sign it. For lots more information, including links to all of the stories that have appeared in the press, go to LTKA - Fingerprint Central
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