I.D. Cards (UK question)

[Nixjim]

I don't understand why anybody would trust their govrnment that much. Even if your government is 100% trustworthy today, can you really be sure they will be trustworthy 20 years from now? The info will still be there, for whatever they wish to do with it.
Right now, as far as I know, no one has my fingerprints on file, I would like to keep it that way. Imagine this, I stop in a little out of the way shop, browse around, buy a few items and leave. Next person in robs the place and kills the clerk. Cops come and dust for prints, they find mine, but the real crook wore gloves. No witnesses so I'm the main suspect. Innocent people have been tried and convicted before, and will be again, but if they don't have my prints on file they may never trace it to me, which will force them to continue looking for the perptrator, and perhaps finding the real one instead of railroading me.
That is one very real reason why I am against the government having my prints, or any other unneccessary information.

[pablissimo]

Originally posted by ÐiSCoRPoRaTioN
I don't know about you, but I have my thumb and my retina handy at all times =/
That would be pointless information to have on a card, really.
I agree with the bloodtype, though

(I can't remember my Bloodtype. Either B- or B+ =\)

Not really, could be used to gain entry to public buildings, airport security, etc.

[BuddhistPunk]

I am in the curious position of having legal dual nationality, I am considered both Spanish & British.

The point of this is that Spain has an identity card system, Britain does not so I consider myself qualified to form an opinion on the subject of identity cards.

In Spain the ID card is a throw back to the franco dicatorship era (pre 1976) - the cliff notes of how the card works are as follows :

- Everybody over the age of 16 must have a card.
- This card must be carried at all times (although you are given a period of 7 days to produce it if you dont have it when requested, similar to the "producer" issued by british transport police)

The card itself visible carries some basic information, that we all carry about our person :

- Name
- Address
- DOB
- Digitised Photo
- Your signature
- A unique ID number

IIRC it also carries invisibly (visible under UV light)

- Blood Group
- Allergies

The ID card is used all the time, for example :

- It is not possible to make a switch/visa/plastic transaction without it (fraud prevention)
- It can be used as a passport within the EU (less paperwork)
- When identification is required, the card usually suffices, i.e. you dont have to carry bank statements/utility bills around with you to apply for credit. (less paperwork)
- IIRC it also doubles as a driving license (less paperwork)

If the card is lost, you simply visit your local ID office and ask for a new one, you complete the necessary forms etc - much the same as getting a new passport here in the UK

I personally favour a ID card system as it does bring together all the information I have to carry seperatly in the UK. Having it all in one place makes my life easier. There is also the minor fact that if the provebials do hit the fan, I can easily proove who I am.

On the point of the "evil government" having the information - I think you will find they already have it, and you are truely blinkered to reality if you think that they dont.

On the point of retinal scans etc, I dont think you will see any ID system carry this type of information any time in the near future simply becasue the technology is not advanced enough to be able to cope.

Maybe you agree with me, maybe you dont, that is entirely upto you and I will respect that.

[Nixjim]

Originally posted by BuddhistPunk


On the point of the "evil government" having the information - I think you will find they already have it, and you are truely blinkered to reality if you think that they dont.

On the point of retinal scans etc, I dont think you will see any ID system carry this type of information any time in the near future simply becasue the technology is not advanced enough to be able to cope.

Maybe you agree with me, maybe you dont, that is entirely upto you and I will respect that.

AFAIK my fingerprints are not on file anywhere. I am 40 years old, prints were not routinly taken back then, and my parents told me I was not fingerprinted as a child. I know I have not been since so I am happy. As long as an Identity card did not require prints, DNA type sh** it wouldn't bother me, no worse than the drivers license I carry now.
I don't see how it would solve anything though, seems like another attempt by the government to appear as if they are doing something rather than actually doing it.

[Dante Hicks]

Originally posted by BuddhistPunk
On the point of the "evil government" having the information - I think you will find they already have it, and you are truely blinkered to reality if you think that they dont.

The issue isn't whether the government have the information (obviously they do) it's about collecting all the information together one place for easy access. Sometimes, a quantative change can make a qualatitve difference.

For example, if I know someones full-name I can search through www.192.com (and others) to find out their home address, phone number, etc. Without an on-line database I could try to read all 100 volumes of the (paper) phone directory but it'd be too much effort. Search engines and databases change not only how we store/access data but by doing so, change the way we use it.

[Nodrog]

Originally posted by pablissimo
I don't see why people care so much. It's not an invasion of privacy unless there's some GPS transmitter in it and someone can always track you, but you'd be more easily tracked by credit card transactions anyway (and you don't complain about those), it'd be a proof of age, a proof of identity, an alternative to a passport if used across Europe, etc, etc.

What's the big deal?

Give me 3 reasons to support it. Youre the one wanting to spend billions of pounds on the scheme, the burden of proof lies with you.