Proposal to collect iris information into the Identity Database

With DNA and voice information, the draft proposes to collect only when people voluntarily provide it or during the management process of people subject to administrative measures.

In the report explaining, receiving and revising the draft Law on Identification, the National Defense and Security Committee said that science has proven that along with fingerprints, the iris has a complex and unique pattern structure for each person, which does not change much over time.

Many countries have applied this technology to serve citizen identification, passport authentication, and filling in authentication information via websites. This technology is highly accurate, simple, easy to use, and does not require complicated operations.

Therefore, in addition to collecting fingerprints, the Government has added regulations on collecting irises in identification information to serve as a basis for cross-checking and verifying each individual's information. This is to support in cases where fingerprints cannot be collected due to disability or deformed fingerprints.

Reviewing this draft law earlier, Chairman of the National Defense and Security Committee Le Tan Toi affirmed that the collection and updating of information on DNA and voice only applies to those with criminal records to serve the work of preventing and combating crimes and violations of the law. This information is obtained through litigation activities or handling administrative violations, the identity management agency does not collect it directly from the people.

In response to concerns about information security when the identity database is a private secret, Mr. Toi said that the National Population Database is controlled by network security, protected at the highest level and minimizes unexpected incidents.

In its explanatory report at the end of April, the Government also said that citizen information is fully stored in an encrypted section to ensure privacy. In the immediate future, some documents will be integrated into the ID card. In the next stages, depending on the development of the data infrastructure, ministries, branches and localities will propose additional integration.

The National Assembly is expected to vote to pass the draft Law on Identification on November 27.