Why are the Brits so paranoid about ID cards?
 

....as some people say, there has to be a better way to prove you are who you say you are than your British Gas bill!

Any objections? Are we all willing to hoof it down to the British embassy to get our biometrics?

It is viewed as an infringement of our civil liberties. Whilst in theory they sound a good idea, what other information could be kept on them ?

Re: Why are the Brits so paranoid about ID cards?
 

Because we have never had them, if we had been brought up carrying one it wouldn't matter a hoot. People don't like something new.

The bottom line is it has nothing to do with terrorism or they would have introduced them 30 years ago. They know who most of the terrorists or terrorist sympathysers are, they just won't deport them.

Patrick

Re: Why are the Brits so paranoid about ID cards?
 

You do not want to have government workers handling all of your official identifying information. You do not want all of that information in one place, except when you have it.

I just watched the BBC news about them and you will not even be required to carry them! If you get stopped law abiding citizens have 3 days to take to a police station, terrorists, criminals and illegal immigrants can ignore it.

What is the ****ing point, if you're going to do this then make it count instead of doing something half arsed!

Patrick

What would the civil servant do with all your information? Nothing -thats the reality as you are such a dull ****er who is no differant from me or anybody else.

It is common sence that you cannot have full and total freedom without a cost - that cost is crime, illegal immiigration, fraud and terrorism. I for one am willing to have an ID Card in order to combat these problems.

Didn;t ID have to be carried in the UK during the war?

Re: Why are the Brits so paranoid about ID cards?
 

The only identifying information I want any official handling is already neatly tattoo'd on my bum!

Made in England! That's all they need to know!

I disagree with having to carry a card too... I lose things all the flippin time... my green card is in the safe and if anyone needs to see it I'll have them follow me to my house if it's that important.

(I'm not talking about airport employees) ;)

Yes, but you don't have to carry this card, just produce 3 days later in a police station - negating the whole thing.

Whats next - micro chips in your head with all your information on it!

Patrick

Re: Why are the Brits so paranoid about ID cards?
 

The Home Office consulted about the introduction of identity cards, and thousands of Internet users opposed the idea. What happened next?

The government's decision to press on with the introduction of ID cards was taken despite opposition from Web users, who's opposing views have effectively been ignored.




Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, home secretary David Blunkett claimed that most of the public back the government's plan to bring in a national biometric identification card, and rubbished suggestions that the scheme was a threat to privacy.

"Let me make it clear: no one has anything to fear from being correctly identified, but everything to fear from having their identity stolen or misused. Focus groups and polling evidence demonstrate that there is around 80 percent support for identity cards," claimed Blunkett. "As the cost of secure identification will be necessary with or without ID cards, I believe that the proposals that I am setting out will win widespread support," the home secretary added.

While some polls have found evidence that the majority of people might welcome ID cards, the government has already admitted that there is significant opposition to their introduction from tech-aware members of society.

A consultation on the issue ended in January 2003, and after months of procrastinating the Home Office eventually revealed that nearly 5,000 people had registed their opposition to the introduction of ID cards -- or entitlement cards, as those in authority called them at the time.

This volume of negative responses was more then enough to tip the balance of the consultation against ID cards. The government then controversially took the decision to treat these opposing views as a mere petition, on the grounds that organisations such as Stand.org and Privacy International had created Web pages that encouraged people to consider the issue and take part in the consulation.

Under the government's proposal, people renewing passports from 2007 will be issued with an ID card and will have to pay £77 at current prices -- compared to £42 today. A combined identity card and driving licence will also be available at a cost of £73 instead of the £38 charged now for driving licences alone.

Once ID cards have reached 80 percent penetration, the government says it will then decide if people will have to produce them in order to use public services.

Despite this softly-softly approach, civil rights advocates have been angered by the plans. Privacy International claims that Blunkett's scheme is unnecessary and "mathematically and technologically" impossible to achieve, and that the related security threats have been vastly understated.

As long as you have nothing to hide then I don't see a problem with it. If it does anything to help stop benefit fraud and lower taxation then it can't be all bad.
Everyone on this forum has come under much more scrutiny just to get in the country!

I agree, if you have not done anything wrong then you have nothing to hide.

If you have done something wrong, id be much happier if that person was easier to identify etc.

Besides its hardly that different from carrying your drivers license on you!

True but if you've done nothing wrong you shouldn't have to prove you've done nothing wrong as well as shell out good money to do it. People seem to forget these cards will be forged and used by people who have done/will do something wrong.

A kinda similar case is the introduction of the new $20 note here in the US. It cost the US government $20million to advertise the fact that there's a new $20 in circulation that is forge-proof and what happens?... Forged new notes are found less than a week after its introduction.

Also, having to produce ID here in the US when using a credit card is a major pain in the arse which will have similar consequences if an ID card is used for public services in the UK - some onion will ask to see your ID because they're told to ask for it, not because they'll know how to spot a forgery or a ill-intended person.

The baddies will always get through while the rest of us cough-up money to prove we're actually rather boring people who maybe return a library book late once in a while.

At least you would have domething in your heed Patrick!

Just out of interest, do you have to move your penis to the side to see!

Less chance of Brigie losing it ......:D