The Netherlands have slowly but surely been adopting biometrics in many facets around the country, according to a CSO Online article. The programs are at first touted for their ability to expedite tasks, but they’re also being deployed because they offer better security.

Earlier this year, a large grocery store chain introduced fingerprint technology to replace using check and credit cards. While the idea behind it was that it would reduce time spent at the register by the consumer, it would also reduce chances of fraudulent payments at the chain as well.

The Netherlands also was one of the first to rollout a registered traveler program using iris biometrics at Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport. The program offers members quick access through security checkpoints, but also tightens security.

As biometric technology finds its home in different marketplaces, people are finding some common themes among the new implementations. While they are often marketed as improving customer service at their implementation, they also carry security features along with them designed to catch criminals.

The one worry left is how well the data collected for these new systems is protected. However, citizens are hopeful that provisions like the European Union’s Data Protection Act will help protect their biometric data from thieves and that the new biometric systems will help protect them from criminals and terrorists.

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