The French National Commission for Data Protection and the Liberties (CNIL) has granted approval to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) to collect biometric data to authenticate the identity of students sitting to take the GMAT exam, according to a press release issued by GMAC earlier this week. GMAC, which owns and administers the GMAT, is the only testing service to have obtained such permission.
In authorizing GMAC’s use of the new PalmSecure biometric device to verify students’ identities, CINL acknowledged the guarantees taken by GMAC to protect privacy. The GMAT is currently the only examination to use PalmSecure vein identification technology, which uses a near-infrared light to capture a palm vein pattern, generating a unique encrypted biometric template that can then be matched against the pre-registered candidate’s palm vein pattern to verify identity.
The technology is considered highly reliable from a privacy perspective because no image is ever stored and the data cannot be read by other devices. “It is not likely to be captured without the knowledge of the person concerned and therefore presents very little risk for the civil liberties and fundamental rights of the individuals,” CINL noted in its approval.
Soon, data collected from the PalmSecure device in France will be used to match candidate information across a central database that includes biometric data from individuals sitting for the exam at other test centers around the world.
“We want to express our appreciation to the CNIL for reinforcing, in its decision, our commitment to leadership in protecting personal data and complying with international data privacy laws,” David Wilson, president and CEO of GMAC, said in a statement. “The CNIL’s action in granting approval for the collection of biometric data only to the GMAT exam reflects the importance of the high priority we place on vigilant security.”
GMAC notified the CNIL in 2005 of other security measures under the Data Protection Act to protect the GMAT exam against fraud, including audio-visual recording in the test room and photos of candidates. At the time, France and some other countries would not authorize the collection of fingerprints, then also part of GMAT exam security measures, which led GMAC to begin a search for alternatives to fingerprinting that would comply with international data privacy laws.
GMAC will now implement PalmSecure and file requests for its use with other European countries. Portugal has already authorized it, and GMAC expects to use the PalmSecure technology in all test centers by the end of the year.
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