Scanning the Horizon: What the Hospitality Industry Needs to Know About Biometrics

Biometric data (fingerprints, retina scans, voice recognition, etc.) are used to identify an individual using that person’s unique biological characteristics. No longer a thing of the future or portrayed in an episode of “Mission Impossible,” private companies and the government collect and use biometric data for a variety of reasons. The use of biometric data ranges from the mundane—tracking employees or serving as a substitute for a typed password log-in on a mobile phone—to the more sophisticated—enhancing national security by monitoring individuals’ whereabouts. The restaurant industry uses biometric data, for example, by scanning employees’ fingerprints to track time, allow access to restricted areas, or to access computer software to place an order. The use of fingerprints and other biometric data, while convenient and often necessary, is not without litigation risk.

The use of fingerprints and other biometric data, while convenient and often necessary, is not…