Fact · Voice privacy and security
The GDPR defines biometric data as personal data from specific technical processing of a person's physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics that allows or confirms the unique identification of that person.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“‘biometric data’ means personal data resulting from specific technical processing relating to the physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics of a natural person, which allow or confirm the unique identification of that natural person, such as facial images or dactyloscopic data”
Art. 4 GDPR: Definitions, gdpr-info.eu (Intersoft Consulting), 2016, Article 4(14).
Open the original- What it measures
- The definition turns on the processing and its purpose (identification), which is why a voiceprint qualifies but a recording used only for transcription is a different question.
- What it does not show
- The definition names facial images and fingerprint data as examples; voice is covered by the general wording, not by name.
Source
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