BiometricCyber cafes to be monitored in India

Published 17 July 2008

Indian police places biometric systems and CCTV in more than 150 cyber cafes in order to catch cyber criminals in the act

The growing threat from criminals and fraudsters who use cyber cafes has been getting out of control in many parts of the world, but authorities in India have come up with a unique system which they are looking to trial very soon. The system uses a mixture of biometrics to take thumb prints as users log on, live photographs, and the users name and address records to keep track of who is using workstations, and more importantly, when. The Indian Police recently organized a demonstration of the system to more than 150 cyber cafe owners and while it went down fairly well, there are some concerns about privacy. Many cyber cafe owners are aware that some users will log onto view sites of an adult nature, but it is more the criminals and the fraudsters who are the target of the authorities. A number of cafe owners, however, are concerned about the creeping “big brother is watching” scenario, something which some say has long gone beyond the Indian stage in the United Kingdom.

Cyber crime is a growing business around the world but catching the criminals in the act is proving more and more difficult. While this latest move in India has prompted some concerns it seems likely that some kind of compromise will be reached in the end.