ID Cards: Has your trust been shaken?

[StarWorms]

Given the several recent discoveries of UK government losing unencrypted data containing important personal details, has your trust in the ID card scheme been shaken?

Towards the end of last year, the government lost names, addresses and bank details of nearly half of the UK population. Since then, this has happened several times in different government departments, although on a smaller scale. Some information for example, was found dumped on a roundabout.

I was against the ID card scheme anyway, but recent events have just demonstrated that they are negligent and incapable of being able to protect information we are forced to give them.

Aside: Something really needs to change. Personally I think a new organisation needs to be set up, similar to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, but instead to regulate the activity of MPs.

Typical me forgetting to describe what it actually is, so I'll just quote instead

I know this is hopeless and this thread will degenerate really soon, but we've had that discussion about ID cards quite a lot on CFC and it appears that what the UK government is trying to implement is NOT THE ID CARD AS OTHER EUROPEANS COUNTRIES KNOW IT.

Like in France, the ID card is a card with your picture, name, address and DOB on it. That's it.

What is proposed in the UK is something else entirely, it contains much more information (fingerprints, facial scan, iris scan, all of your past and present adresses) and is linked to a database, itself shared by a lot of government agencies.

So remember: we're all saying "ID cards", but we're not talking about the same thing.

 

[Godwynn]

The UK: Cameras and ID cards, what's next?

If the UK got rid of those two I think London would be a great place to live.

I think there are microphones or something, can a Brit fill me on anything else?

 

[nivi]

The UK: Cameras and ID cards, what's next?

If the UK got rid of those two I think London would be a great place to live.

I think there are microphones or something, can a Brit fill me on anything else?

I have to wonder, how did camera's and ID cards made London not "a great place to live" ? Specifically, how did it affect the life of the average brit?

 

[brennan]

Things you can't do in the UK without a Passport or Driving licence currently include:

Open a bank account.
Get a job.

That leaves us fairly screwed already unless we pay out for the above ID. Bit of a cheek IMO.

 

[philippe]

is an ID-card the same as an passport? If so, what's the big fuss about it?

 

[brennan]

They've made it ludicrously expensive and not really any harder to counterfeit than existing ID. It's just a bit fat beaurocratic cock-up.

 

[Enkidu Warrior]

It's a vile, devisive, authoritarian affront to liberty that we've already had to do away with once. I'll never support them.

 

[Newbunkle]

The cost is outrageous, and there's just no way to justify the invasion of privacy (we'll all have to provide biometric data). Plus, they'll be of hardly any use whatsoever. They won't protect us during online transactions, so people can get around them that way. Its supposed to "stop terrorists" because we'll know who everyone is... yeah right, haha. As if it wasn't bad enough already, the government have been completely incompetent with regards to our personal data. Ther is a lot of public opposition to this, but Brown is keen to force it on us anyway. Its no wonder Labour supporters are deserting their sinking ship in droves.

No2ID.Net

 

[Rossiya]

The first nation to use ID cards was Nazi Germany. Nuff said, boi.

 

[jessiecat]

They've made it ludicrously expensive and not really any harder to counterfeit than existing ID. It's just a bit fat beaurocratic cock-up.

I agree with you, except that it's not happened yet and it's still being
discussed in Parliament, so let's not jump the gun here. I agree it should
not be compulsory, and would be too expensive unless the govt. picks up
the whole tab. It might even have advantages, like retina scans which
would make it harder to forge. But my main worry is what might go on
the card. National insurance and medical stuff is OK but how would it
handle employment details for instance? And what if they used it to
monitor religious or political affiliations? It's early days yet and a lot of
issues still to decide.

 

[dutchfire]

We have mandatory ID Cards/Passports here for a few years, and while I think the general concept is absolutely ridiculous, it doesn't really harm me. Most people need an ID anyway.

 

[Newbunkle]

We have mandatory ID Cards/Passports here for a few years, and while I think the general concept is absolutely ridiculous, it doesn't really harm me. Most people need an ID anyway.

A low-cost, convenient, and non-compulsory ID might be a good thing, but that's not what our government is suggesting. Plus, its going to contain a lot of very private information. How long until someone invents a scanner that can rip the data from our cards as we walk by?

 

[bathsheba666]

is an ID-card the same as an passport? If so, what's the big fuss about it?

It depends whether you've been brainwashed into thinking the authorities have the right to demand you carry an id card with you at all times.

This is one of those nasty european ideas that the brits have no time for.

 

[Masquerouge]

I know this is hopeless and this thread will degenerate really soon, but we've had that discussion about ID cards quite a lot on CFC and it appears that what the UK government is trying to implement is NOT THE ID CARD AS OTHER EUROPEANS COUNTRIES KNOW IT.

Like in France, the ID card is a card with your picture, name, address and DOB on it. That's it.

What is proposed in the UK is something else entirely, it contains much more information (fingerprints, facial scan, iris scan, all of your past and present adresses) and is linked to a database, itself shared by a lot of government agencies.

So remember: we're all saying "ID cards", but we're not talking about the same thing.

 

[philippe]

I know this is hopeless and this thread will degenerate really soon, but we've had that discussion about ID cards quite a lot on CFC and it appears that what the UK government is trying to implement is NOT THE ID CARD AS OTHER EUROPEANS COUNTRIES KNOW IT.

Like in France, the ID card is a card with your picture, name, address and DOB on it. That's it.

What is proposed in the UK is something else entirely, it contains much more information (fingerprints, facial scan, iris scan, all of your past and present adresses) and is linked to a database, itself shared by a lot of government agencies.

So remember: we're all saying "ID cards", but we're not talking about the same thing.

well then this certainly changes my vote!
(although we have an passport with some chip on it... not sure what it does but yeah could link to and database too...)

 

[Newbunkle]

I know this is hopeless and this thread will degenerate really soon, but we've had that discussion about ID cards quite a lot on CFC and it appears that what the UK government is trying to implement is NOT THE ID CARD AS OTHER EUROPEANS COUNTRIES KNOW IT.

Like in France, the ID card is a card with your picture, name, address and DOB on it. That's it.

What is proposed in the UK is something else entirely, it contains much more information (fingerprints, facial scan, iris scan, all of your past and present adresses) and is linked to a database, itself shared by a lot of government agencies.

So remember: we're all saying "ID cards", but we're not talking about the same thing.

Thanks for putting it so clearly.

Concerns about the ID cards can be found on this page, where anumber of criticisms are made: Criticisms of ID Cards

 

[emzie]

I'm against REAL ID. The British cards are like 2584326590754 times beyond that.

 

[GinandTonic]

An awful idea that IIRC was kicked past the next election last week.

Im against it on civil liberties grounds, but if they lose the personal details of everyone with a child, and a couple of weeks later every member of the Army (or some force) and some details of everyone who had applied to or expressed an interest in joining the Army how can we possibly believe this data will be safe.

It'll cost a fortune to restrict our liberties and make us less safe. It's an awful idea.

The big problem is that now it has been pushed back beyond the next election, it'll cause a big chunk of the Lab vote to switch to the Lib Dems and let the Tories in. And they have less respect for civil society and liberty than Lab.

The whole thing will be Brown's undoing.

 

[Godwynn]

I have to wonder, how did camera's and ID cards made London not "a great place to live" ? Specifically, how did it affect the life of the average brit?

I think you know enough about me to say that I am somewhat "Anti-Government."

The ID cards that the Brits have are entirely straight out of 1984. I have an American ID/Driver's License. The Brits has sensitive information on their cards, which is now in the hands of someone who has already proven they will steal what is not their's.

Some people choose locations to live based on weather.

I choose mine based on taxes, economics, and civil liberties.

 

[Newbunkle]

How long until the government say "To help the unfortunate people who always lose their ID, we've turned it into a chip that can be inserted under the skin. Now you'll never forget to carry it!"