New "Sign In/Out" system at work

chokolat2

Hi everyone.

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this, sorry if not, but here goes.

Recently at work we had a new system installed for signing in and out - called Watson. It's basically a computer located just as you walk in, into which you enter your ID number then scan your finger!
(we all had to "register" our fingerprints the other day on it).

Can private companies actually do this? How do I know they are storing this safely?

I am sure I thought only the police or such as Home Office were allowed by law..

Thank you.

Sambucus_Nigra

If they are doing it then evidently, they can do it.

hcb42

we have one too, personally i despise it as never clocked in during my adult life but must be legal

Gingernutty

Yep.

I've had

a) a personal chip and pin working for a supermarket,

b) a 'classic' punch card that descended down the clock through the week so that the boss can see how the holes were spaced out,

c) a personal plastic card that I've had to waggle in front of readers to clock in and out with and which triggered door sensor locks so I couldn't get around the building without it.

The 'bonus' with that one was that everyone with computer access could log onto the personnel card database and see if the person they wanted to talk to was in or out and which part of the building they were in.

I'm currently in a system where there are two cards one of which gets me around the building and one for accessing the secure staff record. If I drove, the door pass would also get me into a staff car park.

The fingerprint thing might sound harsh, but if they suspect people have been logging in as favours for their mates, then it stops that right there in its tracks.

The_ICT_Engineer

The added advantage being you be unlikely to leave your finger at home, as you could with a passkey

MissSarah1972

The_ICT_Engineer wrote: »

The added advantage being you be unlikely to leave your finger at home, as you could with a passkey

laugh of the day

ohreally

chokolat2 wrote: »

Can private companies actually do this? How do I know they are storing this safely?

Does no-one challenge them? Ask questions?

Acc72

The_ICT_Engineer wrote: »

The added advantage being you be unlikely to leave your finger at home, as you could with a passkey

And also you can't give your finger to a workmate to clock you in !

mattw7

Don't really know what the problem is, how is storing a single fingerprint potentially an unsafe and worrying thing for the OP?

You should get used to this form of security as its going become the norm for many uses in the future. Most doors, cars and other forms of locking system will probably move over to this over the next decade or two. It will save on keys and getting copies made, it stops fraud or getting other people to sign you in/out etc.

Sambucus_Nigra

Acc72 wrote: »

And also you can't give your finger to a workmate to clock you in !

During the colder months, we'll see threads 'I was sacked for not clocking in on the fingerprint system but I did!'...and after 30 posts we find out they weren't taking their gloves off.

paddyrg

Gummy bear, microwave, and you can borrow someone else's fingerprint ;-)