Understanding the benefits of biometrics through the consumer lens
With biometrics becoming a routine part of our day-to-day lives, we wanted to better understand consumers’ changing attitudes towards this technology
In May 2019, Visa commissioned research in 39 markets globally, including Ireland, Spain, France, Poland and Germany, asking consumers about their views on biometrics.
This article focuses on results taken from the UK, where around 1,000 cardholders took part in the survey.
While there is clearly growing consumer enthusiasm and demand, biometrics still has a way to go to become truly embedded in our lives.
Consumer enthusiasm is growing
Security and convenience are the two themes that dominated our respondents’ perceptions of biometrics. Based on the research, 91% of respondents believe the need for greater security is a driving factor in the uptake of biometrics, while 64% cited biometrics as being more convenient, especially when they forget a password (32%) or have trouble logging on to a retailer account (32%).
Biometrics leads the way
When it came to secure forms of authentication biometrics led the way; 91% of respondents think that fingerprint and iris recognition are the most secure forms of authentication. PINs (80%) and OTPs (79%) are viewed as the most secure traditional methods compared to passwords (76%), security questions (56%), and signatures (38%).
With 40% of respondents believing biometrics eliminate the need to remember multiple passwords, and 36% assured by how biometrics means losing or forgetting the method of authentication is impossible, the benefits of biometrics are increasingly being understood.
But barriers remain
However, the survey shows that there are still some barriers to biometrics being implemented effectively. Reliability, ubiquity and cost of the technology are the main ones. Respondents felt biometrics might take multiple attempts or simply not work and are put off by the expense of needing a high-tech device to enable biometric authentication.
With just over a third of respondents citing lack of awareness as their main inhibitor to using biometrics, there is a clear need for increased education and integration within the financial ecosystem. 33% would also be more willing to use biometrics if their bank supported the technology.
In an article already published on Navigate, I put forward my views on Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). In particular, I cautioned that, if not properly understood, SCA has the potential to increase friction as smaller merchants apply unnecessary layers of authentication as a means of security rather than biometrics. It is the balance between the two – security and convenience – that merchants need to understand and be prepared for. Whilst most large merchants are prepared – many smaller merchants across Europe do not yet have the compliant technology in place.
What next?
The strong security offered by biometrics is more important than ever – highlighted by the fact that only one in four people in the UK use a unique password for each of their online accounts.
Accessible, jargon-free education about biometrics, and offering a choice of preferred biometrics methods should underpin future planning. For customers, rather than being pushed into one method, comfort in using the biometric recognition of their choice is crucial.
It is vital for all participants in the payments ecosystem to be prepared, and understand how the use of biometrics can help to reduce fraud by making online payments more secure whilst offering a more convenient customer experience.
Click here for more related insights and perspectives: "Will digital identity finally replace passwords"
Research commissioned by Visa and conducted by Fabrizio Ward, LLC between 15 April – 3 May 2019, surveyed 1,000 UK adults aged 18+ who have a credit card.
All brand names, logos and/or trademarks are the property of their respective owners, are used for identification purposes only, and do not necessarily imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa.
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