Apr 6, 2018

Why Does Social Security Need To Capture Biometric Data?

     From a contracting notice recently posted by the Social Security Administration:
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is seeking a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) eyetracker software tool that will allow SSA to measure and collect users' eye position and eye movements to expand on the dynamic of our usability and user testing studies. The eye tracking system will increase our capability to capture biometric data that we are currently lacking and allow us to incorporate the biometric layer into our results analysis. In addition to the usability testing, eye tracking system can also be used in market research.
     I'm not the only one who finds this kind of creepy.

4 comments:

public servant said...

Bring it on! Right now I am maintaining multiple passwords to sign in and to access different software - and I have to change them regularly. How much better, and more secure for all, to replace passwords with biometrics.

Anonymous said...

It looks like they want to use it for usability testing--like so they can see how people read their websites and lay them out better. this is common practice for web developers, so I guess it makes sense for SSA.gov but I hope it doesn't cost too much money. Just make the websites simple and accurate.

I wonder if they'll also use it to track teleworkers' productivity?

Anonymous said...

@10:28 stated, “I wonder if they will use it to track teleworkers’ productivity?”

I think you nailed it!

Anonymous said...

A key stroke logger is far cheaper to track productivity.

Need to think who they will sell biometric info to?