WJEC Digital Technology Practice Test

Biometrics relies on unique physical or behavioral traits to authenticate you, which can be very convenient and can enhance security in practice. But the big drawback is privacy risk. The biometric data used for access is highly sensitive because it identifies you in a way you cannot easily change—unlike a password, you can’t replace a fingerprint or a facial template if it’s stolen. If such data is exposed in a breach, it could be used to impersonate you across multiple devices and services, and you can’t simply revoke it and issue a new one. There are also concerns about how this data is stored, who has access, how long it’s kept, and whether it can be used to track or profile you beyond the intended purpose. These privacy considerations outweigh the advantages and explain why privacy concerns are the main disadvantage of using biometrics.