I hope I'm not going to regret asking this, and I've definitely got
that Friday feeling.... but I'm genuinely puzzled. Why is the
introduction of a national ID card considered an infringement of civil
liberties? I understand the dangers of such a system being extended
beyond its orginal stated purpose, but what is the problem simply with
an ID card? Especially if it supersedes the current need to have
multiple forms of ID for different purposes.
I personally think that being able to prove who I am so that my
identity is not stolen by someone else is a civil liberty in its own
right. How is that going to be infiringed by a national ID card??
Yours in anticipation :0)
Ruth
Ruth Powell
Functional Consultant
SCT
Global Education Solutions
European Solutions Centre
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Sent by: This list is To: [log in to unmask]
for those interested cc:
in Data Protection Subject: Re: National ID (entitlement) cards
issues
<data-protection@JISC
MAIL.AC.UK>
04/07/2002 15:04
Please respond to
KITLegal
In a message dated 04/07/2002 12:49:53 GMT Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< I'd be interested in the List's views on Blunkett's "consultation"
exercise
concerning "Entitlement" Cards. >>
----------
I'd be interested to hear whether any list members will be involved in
the
consultation, either in an official capacity or as an individual
offering a
view.
My personal view is that as individuals we should vehemently oppose
the
introduction of such a card on the bases that: the intended initial
uses will
inevitably be extended once they are in place; and that it infringes
our
civil liberties.
Who knows what future governments will use it for? What if M. Le
Penn's
near-victory is surpassed by a similar faction over here? What would
persecutors of the past have given for all those details made
available on
databases and accessible at the touch of a button?
Who do you think will get the contract for running the scheme? Maybe
a
foreign company that already has our tax records, contributions
records,
criminal records, many local government records, some retail
information
about us and is likely to also get our health records? Or maybe you
feel it
will go to a totally independent company with little or no expertise
in
handling huge public databases?
I, for one, am prepared to tolerate a few illegal immigrants (on the
basis
that many UK citizens are living abroad illegally and I wouldn't
necessarily
want all of them back) and a few benefits cheats (on the basis that
the
amount they pilfer is less than the amount of underpaid benefits each
year
and it might actually cost us more money to administer the schemes
properly),
to maintain the freedoms and privacy we currently enjoy.
These are my personal views and not necessarily those of my employer -
me.
Ian Buckland
Managing Director
Keep IT Legal Ltd
Tel: 01246 473999
Fax: 01246 470742
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: www.keepitlegal.co.uk
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