identity ARMOR
Team: Elena Duran, Jimmy Huang, Jeremy Warner, Daniel Lim
Modern day biometric identification systems find physical or behavioral traits that can uniquely recognize individuals. Biometrics are considered to be the highest tier of security and are used in sensitive top secret clearance applications. Given that these biological markers (such as fingerprints, voice, and iris topology) are considered the gold standard, consumers increasingly rely on them to access their phones, bank accounts, and workspaces. Despite being used in higher security applications, biometric authentication also portends its own risks as digital recording and replication features continue to advance. Biometric security is not infallible, and once comprised, is significantly harder to mend than resetting a password.
Materials
This provocation brings awareness to the fact that current technology can already nullify biometric-based security and aid identity theft, so citizens should be proactive in preventing them from being stolen. A second provocation goal is to prompt discussion around the dystopian not-too-distant future we project in which the use of identity armors has been normalized. We open a space for discussing the impact this has on social interactions, dissecting the tensions between vulnerability and privacy/safety.
