In Jordan, refugees scan irises to collect aid. But is it ethical?

An illustration photo shows a women having her iris scanned to pay for her grocery shopping, standing in front of a screen showing the iris of a shopper making their payment. — Thomson Reuters Foundation

AZRAQ, Jordan: At a grocery store checkout in the Jordanian refugee camp of Azraq, Sameera Sabbouh stares wide-eyed into a scanner to pay for her shopping – her iris scan unlocking payment from a digital aid account with the help of blockchain technology.

Many of the nearly 40,000 Syrians who live in the camp recognise the convenience of the cashless, card-free payment method, which verifies recipients’ identity by referencing a UN database, but few said they like it.