Mandatory biometrics before year-end: why it's needed

Mandatory biometrics: the solution nobody asked for but we all need

The more security measures are rolled out, the more users complain about losing privacy. But the reality of online fraud is brutal: waves of embeleco digital, phone scams and fake profiles run rampant. Banks are scared. HSBC in the UK already requires biometric identification over the phone. And everything points to fingerprint or facial recognition becoming mandatory before the year is out to access basic digital services, from banking to operating systems. The question is not whether it will happen, but whether we are willing to hand over our biometric data in exchange for security.

Fraud has spiralled and passwords are no longer enough

The numbers speak for themselves. Online scams have multiplied: embeleco digital, vishing and fake profiles on platforms like Idealista are an everyday occurrence. Tech companies and banks can no longer rely on passwords or SMS codes alone. "My bank is terrified," summed up a professional working in international banking. "Access tests without biometrics are so tough that people no longer answer phone calls." British banking, with HSBC leading the way, has already rolled out biometric identification via mobile phone. And it's just the beginning.

Biometrics vs. alternatives: is it the most intrusive option?

Not everyone is convinced that biometrics is the best solution. Advocates of alternatives such as TOTP-based 2FA or physical keys like Yubikey argue that those options are just as secure and less intrusive. "They've chosen the most intrusive option and I don't think it's by chance," critics point out. The risk of biometric databases being hacked is real: biometric data, unlike passwords, cannot be changed. Companies and even the UK government have already seen their digital identification systems called into question by security breaches.

The antiestéticar of control: from banking to social media

The main antiestéticar is not so much banks asking for fingerprints — there seems to be consensus that this is reasonable — but rather the requirement spreading to platforms like Twitter or to your computer's operating system itself. "If it becomes mandatory to use Twitter, we're straight into 1984," people warn. Self-censorship would be huge: "You'll have to scan your fingerprint to open your laptop and you'll be held responsible for everything that goes through it." The line between security and control is blurry.

What's coming: an open debate

While supporters talk of an unavoidable entry ticket to the digital world, critics point out that the most intrusive route has been chosen without sufficiently exploring less privacy-risky alternatives. Where is the middle ground? Will we accept the finger in exchange for no longer receiving hundreds of scam attempts a month? 2026 could be the year biometrics becomes normalised. And there doesn't seem to be any going back.