BBC on the Commons home affairs committee report on ID Cards, released today. Here's a HTML version of the report.
The report comes up with many of the same points put forward by critics of the scheme - What is it trying to achieve? Is the planning ready/sufficient? Is the technology sufficient? Who will have control over/access to the data? What data will be contained?
There's also a continuing theme within the report of how open the government is when it comes to this process, and about how much the individual knows about what is being stored on the card, about themself. As the summary states:
"the Government's proposed scheme would represent a significant change in the relationship between state and individual in this country".
Friday, July 30, 2004
Zombie pirate attacks!
Via Politech, I'm pointed to a parody site of the original government site, preparingforemergencies.co.uk, which includes class advice such as...
Unfortunately, the "parody" part has been lost on the government, who have decided to "respond". I, for one, am utterly confused by the information presented, and have already started to report all the beggars asking me for money in case they're all terrorists.
Children are the worst fire hazards; consider giving them up for adoption.
Unfortunately, the "parody" part has been lost on the government, who have decided to "respond". I, for one, am utterly confused by the information presented, and have already started to report all the beggars asking me for money in case they're all terrorists.
Thursday, July 29, 2004
More dissent amongst the ranks
What's he up to now? Closing local immigration checks before domestic ones are up-to-scratch, that's what. Interesting that it's had to go so far as legal action, eh?
As with much of everything else, the Home Office have had to have their headstrong way about this issue. Between them and the "80 Immigration Service officials" in question, I know whose words I'd take less lightly. As things are, the whole lot of them'll probably get arrested for perverting the course of domestic security...
As with much of everything else, the Home Office have had to have their headstrong way about this issue. Between them and the "80 Immigration Service officials" in question, I know whose words I'd take less lightly. As things are, the whole lot of them'll probably get arrested for perverting the course of domestic security...
Big Brother Awards
And the awards go to... None in the bag for Mr Blunkett this year - but he gets the prestigious acclaim of having one named after him. Tasty.
See also the Register coverage of the event, along with NO2ID shirts for sale.
See also the Register coverage of the event, along with NO2ID shirts for sale.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Privacy International 2004 UK Big Brother Awards
A reminder that Privacy International hold their 2004 UK Big Brother Awards at the London School of Economics this evening. Entrance is free and open to the public, but space is limited and people should RSVP as per the page's info.
The Home Office has a joint nomination in the "Worst Public Servant" category (Katherine Courtney and Stephen Harrison) for its involvement in ID Cards, but faces stiff competition from Margaret Hodge,MP. Here's the shortlist.
The Home Office has a joint nomination in the "Worst Public Servant" category (Katherine Courtney and Stephen Harrison) for its involvement in ID Cards, but faces stiff competition from Margaret Hodge,MP. Here's the shortlist.
Friday, July 23, 2004
Are you normal yet?
While not, strictly speaking, directly related to Mr Blunkett per se, the philosophy behind both these stories is in precisely the same barn...
The House of Lords says that DNA is to be indefinitely stored on national database, even for "people who have not been convicted of any crime". The "Lords said they could see no reason why anyone should object to the samples being stored in a database". Right.
Secondly, it looks like a new UK Passport System will gradually fuse with ID Cards (assumedly so that you won't actually notice it happening), and that the focus is on people, rather than passports themselves as currently happens.
So there's definitely going to be no function creep, no sir. A reminder: "...registrable facts are listed in the draft Bill to set limits on the types of information which may be held on the Register and do not include sensitive personal information such as medical records or religious opinions." Although such data may be linked to, a la passports, if of course, the government sees fit to define who gets to be tracked as those of, say, possibly extreme religious viewpoints, or of a potentially dangerous medical disposition, such as...
That's just off the top of my head.
The House of Lords says that DNA is to be indefinitely stored on national database, even for "people who have not been convicted of any crime". The "Lords said they could see no reason why anyone should object to the samples being stored in a database". Right.
Secondly, it looks like a new UK Passport System will gradually fuse with ID Cards (assumedly so that you won't actually notice it happening), and that the focus is on people, rather than passports themselves as currently happens.
So there's definitely going to be no function creep, no sir. A reminder: "...registrable facts are listed in the draft Bill to set limits on the types of information which may be held on the Register and do not include sensitive personal information such as medical records or religious opinions." Although such data may be linked to, a la passports, if of course, the government sees fit to define who gets to be tracked as those of, say, possibly extreme religious viewpoints, or of a potentially dangerous medical disposition, such as...
- an individual dedicated to criticising the government's defence plans, thus disrupting the ability to fight this week's enemy
- an individual that suffers from a "mind-altering" illness that prevents the sufferer from acting in a rational manner. Illnesses such as... oh, I don't know... diabetes? Road rage? Alcoholism?
- an individual that exhibits odd emergent behaviour over time, indicating a potential societal outcast/danger
- an individual with "defective" genes that show a tendency towards violence/particular sexual behaviour/extreme views
- an individual with a "causal" history or environment that, statistically, will lead towards violence/particular sexual behaviour/extreme views
That's just off the top of my head.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
PM and Blunkett unite against crime
...although I'm left wondering which one is the dark, moody main crime-fighter, and which one has to wear lurid lycra tights and say irritating sidekick expressions.
"...focus on ... prevention"?
"And children as young as 10 could face on-the-spot fines for unruly behaviour. ... In a keynote speech Tony Blair said Britain was paying the price of the relaxation of values seen in the 1960s."
Remember kids, the only way to rule the country is with IRON STICKS. Society and environment isn't responsible for how people turn out at all - it's in their genes! Quick, burn the genes! Burn the genes! Next up: Only intelligent and polite people can be allowed to breed. Ha.
"...focus on ... prevention"?
"And children as young as 10 could face on-the-spot fines for unruly behaviour. ... In a keynote speech Tony Blair said Britain was paying the price of the relaxation of values seen in the 1960s."
Remember kids, the only way to rule the country is with IRON STICKS. Society and environment isn't responsible for how people turn out at all - it's in their genes! Quick, burn the genes! Burn the genes! Next up: Only intelligent and polite people can be allowed to breed. Ha.
Monday, July 19, 2004
New Blog...
...just for the purposes of keeping a list of all the things I disagree with David Blunkett on. Usually whenever he makes it into the news with some over-hyped, heavy-handed "idea", I have to run around my room, do some exercises and have several cups of tea in order to calm down and think like a man again.
Take, for instance, his latest plan to track 5,000 criminals by satellite, as well as naming and "targeting" the worst (anti-social) offenders in 50 areas - no, wait, 60. No, 50. Gah, arsing article. Note with extroadinary gasping the sheer, luscious irony in the phrase ...they will be singled out under an expansion of the "Together" scheme.'' Does he really want us all to be "together", or does he just want us to throw the louts into stocks and throw turnips and pigs at them?
So bit by bit, I shall construct my views here on Blunkett, policing methods, and psychological causes of petty crime. Join me, in the adventure of a liiiiife-tiiiiime....
Take, for instance, his latest plan to track 5,000 criminals by satellite, as well as naming and "targeting" the worst (anti-social) offenders in 50 areas - no, wait, 60. No, 50. Gah, arsing article. Note with extroadinary gasping the sheer, luscious irony in the phrase ...they will be singled out under an expansion of the "Together" scheme.'' Does he really want us all to be "together", or does he just want us to throw the louts into stocks and throw turnips and pigs at them?
So bit by bit, I shall construct my views here on Blunkett, policing methods, and psychological causes of petty crime. Join me, in the adventure of a liiiiife-tiiiiime....
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