Comprehensive Survey Highlights Widespread Biometric Adoption, Yet Calls for Better Data Security Practices

BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Consumers are increasingly adopting biometrics as this technology becomes more integrated into everyday devices like smartphones and laptops. More than 50 percent of all users now authenticate with biometrics daily, signaling a clear path toward mass adoption. However, consumers have a keen awareness of the sensitivity of their biometric data and are looking to use biometrics with providers who have clear policies around data management.

These trends are among the key findings from Aware’s newly released '2024 Consumer Trust in Biometrics Report,' which reveals important insights into consumers’ perceptions and usage of biometric authentication. Aware’s team conducted a diverse survey of U.S. consumers with questions aimed at uncovering their perceptions, knowledge, usage and concerns about biometric authentication.

The results: an in-depth understanding of consumer sentiment and experiences surrounding biometric authentication usage.

“An overwhelming majority of respondents agree that biometric technology will become more prevalent over the next five years. This isn’t altogether surprising, given that consumers generally recognize biometrics’ superiority to passwords in the areas of security, convenience, and speed of access,” says Heidi Hunter, Chief Product Officer, Aware.

“However, what’s remarkable is that a large percentage of respondents stated they are more willing to trust some organizations than others, based on a demonstrated ability to responsibly collect and manage biometric data. Clearly, the desire for convenience and speed is winning out, because the rise in use cases is expanding. But we think there’s a huge opportunity for brands to build on the benefits of offering biometrics by clearly communicating with consumers, addressing their concerns about data usage and offering alternative authentication options.”

Other key findings from the survey include:

• Consumers are more comfortable with biometrics than you think: over half of those polled indicated they use biometric authentication technology regularly; nearly 50 percent state they use biometric authentication “often” or “always” to access mobile apps.

• Security and convenience are the two main reasons for using biometric authentication, and they tend to hold more clout than trust concerns - 62 percent of respondents noted they have never refrained from using the technology as a result of trust issues.

• Still, significant concerns linger, especially when it comes to data breaches and trust in supporting technologies. An overwhelming majority of respondents felt neutral or uninformed about how their biometric data is used and stored by companies.

• While over 50 percent of respondents are either very comfortable or comfortable with using biometric technology in public places like airports and stadiums, over 40 percent are still either neutral, uncomfortable, or very uncomfortable with this idea.

• For more than one half of respondents, transparent communications from companies about biometric data use would change their trust in biometrics. In addition, 60 percent of all respondents stated that offering opt-out alternatives and user-controlled privacy settings would increase their trust in biometric technologies.

• Across industries, trust is lowest in the online gambling sector and highest in banking; also trust in biometrics is higher among Gen Z and lower across older generations including Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers.