NO2ID News No. 58

9 November 2006

FINGERPRINT PUB SCHEME MUST BE STOPPED

Pubs and clubs around the country are introducing fingerprint scanning systems for drinkers. The scheme which is backed by the Home Office was first trialled in Yeovil but plans are afoot to expand the system to Coventry, Hull, Sheffield, Leeds, Gwent, Nottingham, Taunton and possibly Swindon. Drinkers must have their thumbprints scanned and supply their name, address and date of birth to enrol onto the system before they are allowed to enter licensed premises taking part in the scheme. An increasing number of authoritarian measures are being introduced by UK pubs and clubs following new licensing laws which were introduced in November 2005. Licensees are now subject to increased fines and possible criminal prosecution with a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment for knowingly serving someone who is under-age. As a result many pubs have responded with extreme measures that threaten the freedoms of *everyone*, not just those who happen to look under 18, such as fingerprinting and ID-ing all customers as if they were all potential troublemakers. If you are in any of the towns affected, especially Yeovil, and are willing to do something then send an e-mail to phil@no2id.net (please put "pub fingerprinting" in the Subject).Don`t get depressed, don`t give in and get a home-brew kit - get angry and do something!

PS. If anyone knows a pub that would like to take NO2ID beer mats, Newcastle NO2ID has created some with our logo on the front and key counter-arguments on the back, ideal for starting the discussions of the scheme that we need. Beermats are produced in huge quantities, so they need more than a handful to make up an order(if we can make up a total order of several thousand we can produce beermats for £15 per 100). Enquiries to newcastle@no2id.net

CALL TO IPSWICH SUPPORTERS - FIGHT THE INTERROGATION CENTRE

We have now uncovered the location of 33 of 69 ID interrogation centres around the country[1] via planning applications which our local groups can lodge objections to[2]. The planning committee hearing for the Home Office's Ipswich Passport/ID Card interrogation centre will take place on Wednesday 15th November. The meeting starts at 9:30 and the application is number 4 on the agenda. Ipswich NO2ID supporters have filed a total of six objections on planning grounds such as traffic, parking & loss of amenity. We now need to mount a presence at the planning meeting. Planning Officer Martin Brooks tells us that they don't restrict the number of people speaking at the meeting (contrary to the procedure given on the Ipswich Council website), so the more, the merrier. Anyone interested in attending the meeting, please contact Geoff Brace (geoff.brace@owldata.co.uk) or Andrew Watson (andrew.watson@no2id.net, 07710 469624). If we have enough people, we'll try for media coverage of a demonstration outside the council offices. The motto of the Ipswich civic coat of arms is Munia Civitatis Decus Civium (The functions of citizenship are the glory of the citizens). Let's do our bit - we are citizens not subjects.

Many thanks to all those who have sent us details of interrogation centre planning applications and to those who volunteered to set up new groups in towns due an interrogation centre, we are still looking for more groups in 33 locations[1].

References:
[1] For a list of interrogation centres see http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php
[2] Planning application details on our forum - http://forum.no2id.net/viewtopic.php?t=13329

What's next?

NO2ID could be Britain's biggest civil liberties group - with your help

We now have a few under 1000 members, and well over 10,000 people on our email newsletter list. Not bad for a two-year-old. But if everyone now on the email list were to join, we would be the biggest civil liberties organisation by membership in Britain, and able to afford permanent staff to do the work needed to transform the terms of the debate. Philanthropists have been generous, and we have the services of some dedicated volunteers, but it is membership fees and donations that really keep us going day to day, and the fight is intensifying. If you haven't joined, please do so. If your membership has lapsed, please renew it. And, if you can, please consider giving by standing order, which saves hugely on administrative time (see the 'What you can do' section at the end of this newsletter for more details).

Local groups

We have local groups around the country and in 36 of the 69 locations of ID interrogation centres. If you can help to set up a local group in one of the remaining towns then please contact us at (office@no2id.net). A local group can start with just one person but we will help you to grow. A full list of local groups can be found at www.no2id.net/localGroups

Your chance to make an anti-ID news programme

The BBC's Newsnight programme is running a competition for viewers to make a 2-minute news programme on any news item they wish. This would be an ideal opportunity to highlight the dangers of the National Identity Register and ID cards. The deadline for submitting films is 4 December 2006.
More info at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/6114950.stm

1st Tuesday of the month - Hackney NO2ID monthly meetings

The Hackney local group covering London E8, E5, E9 & N16 areas meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 in Cafe Bohemia by Hackney Central Station. New support very welcome to help raise awareness over the coming months.

NO2ID Cambridge Campaign stall

Cambridge NO2ID will be running Saturday street stalls outside Cambridge Guildhall from 10am onwards on 25th November, 16th December, and every third Saturday into the new year. Location: (http://tinyurl.com/eo42r). Volunteers to help very welcome - contact Andrew Watson via cambridge@no2id.net, or on 07710 469624.

Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh Campaign stall

After a short break during the Edinburgh Festival NO2ID Edinburgh has resumed its regular Princes Street campaigning stall on Saturdays. We shall be at our usual location at the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel, from 1pm - 3pm this coming Saturday. We use our stall to raise public awareness of the Identity Cards scheme, collect donations and entries for the NO2ID petition, and also to increase membership of our group. Please do pop by for a chat if you happen to be around. We shall be aiming to have the stall up and running most Saturdays, and new volunteers are always very welcome. You can see photos of our stall and contact details at: www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/.

10th November - Meeting 'Protest is a Right - not a Police Privilege', Brighton

Friday, 10th November 7.30-9.30pm at the Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton. Speakers include: Paddy O�Keefe (Respect) - Chairperson, Cllr. Francis Tonks, Cllr. Simon Williams (Green Party), Glenn Williams - Sussex Action for Peace, Tony Greenstein (Palestine Solidarity /Alliance 4 Green Socialism), James Elsdon-Baker - NO2ID, Abu Bakr - Save Omar Deghayes Campaign, Smash EDO-MBM speaker.

13th November - Shrewsbury NO2ID meeting

Monday, 13th November 8.15pm at the White Horse in Ironbridge. The landlords are anti-ID and they serve excellent beer.
(http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/12/12883/White_Horse/Ironbridge). For more information contact shrewsbury@no2id.net or just show up on the night.

14th November - Web chat with head of ID programme

Next Tuesday (14th November) James Hall the Chief Executive of the UK Identity and Passport Service (UKIPS) will take part in online question and answer session organised by the 10 Downing Street website. You can put your questions via the site in advance of the event. See Newsletter 56 for some background on Hall and his previous employer Accenture. You may want to ask whether he says any conflict of interest in the fact that Accenture has alliances with 49 companies, ten of whom are listed by UKIPS as wanting a slice of the ID card.
See http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page10364.asp

14th November - Highbury NO2ID Informal Meeting

Tuesday, 14th November 6.30 for a 7pm start at Jorene Celest on 153 Upper Street. All welcome!

24th November - Luton NO2ID informal social evening

Friday, 24th November. The Luton Group will be holding an informal social evening (dinner + pub) New and existing members very welcome. Please email luton@no2id.net for details.

25th November - Defy-ID National Gathering

Saturday, 25th November, from 11am onwards at The Sumac Centre in Nottingham. Meeting to discuss opposition to ID Cards and the National ID Register. This is not so much a public meeting to discuss the overall implications of the ID scheme, as a planning day of how we are going to stop it. See http://www.nottingham-defy-id.org.uk/gathering

29th November - NO2ID Public meeting: Civil liberty vs. the database state

Wednesday, 29th November, 7.00pm - 9.00pm at Lecture Theatre One, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College - Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London SW7. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, QC, MP and Henry Porter (further speakers to be confirmed), consider where we go from here. The Identity Cards Act 2006 is law, and must be repealed, but meanwhile the government is already working on extending its scope, through "information sharing" across the public sector and an "Identity Management Action Plan" to be produced by the end of this year. What new threats does this offer to personal liberty? How can the slide to the database state be halted? Open to all.

20th/29th November - More 4 documentary to look at ID cards

A documentary looking at privacy intrusive technology is to be broadcast on More 4 in November. In the programme, called 'We Know Where You Live', journalist Henry Porter will explore how a number of new technologies are being used to support an authoritarian push against our privacy and civil liberties - including ID cards. The documentary will air on 20th November at 9pm and 29th November at 10pm on More 4.

What just happened?

Carlisle City Council votes against ID

This week Carlisle City Council passed an anti-ID cards motion by 32 votes to 11. The motion was supported by all parties, proposed by Steve Tweedie (Lib Dem) and seconded by John Reardon (Labour). The motion pointed out that "there is little evidence to show that they[ID cards] will reduce benefit fraud, illegal immigration, terrorism or crime", that they are "an affront to civil liberties" and "are likely to have a harmful effect on Police and community relations". A list of councils that have passed similar motions can be found at www.no2id.net/resources/motions/index.php

Edinburgh group hear from passionate anti-ID MSP

Brian Monteith, Independent and former Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, spoke to the Edinburgh NO2ID group at its October meeting (25th October). In a wide-ranging powerful speech he said he had been influenced by The Prisoner in the 1970s and was strongly in favour of individual liberty and individual rights. While individual cards were useful, it was their linking together that was dangerous. The Prime Minister's proposal the previous day of a national DNA database was roundly attacked. Mr Monteith warned that while it was hard to believe that the state could actually manage the technology for ID cards it would be foolish to assume that it could not. He also warned that the setting up of passport centres[interrogation centres] all over the country would be presented as increasing convenience to applicants. He made the same point as the speaker at the previous meeting, who was at the other end of the political spectrum, namely that when people are assumed guilty until they are proved innocent they will be far less likely to cooperate with the police.

Information Commissioner warns of surveillance society

The UK's Information Commissioner discussed the findings of a new report 'A Surveillance Society' at the international Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners Conference last week. The report was written by the Surveillance Studies Network and presents a chilling vision of the surveillance society present and future. One trend outlined is 'social sorting' whereby government and private sector databases are analysed and categorized to define target markets and risky populations. The report points out: "No one has voted directly for such systems. They come about through drives for greater efficiency and effectiveness in the public services, pressure from technology corporations, the rise of �risk� as a key theme in society, and the idea that we should spare little effort to pre-empt dangers."
A PDF version of the report is available from http://tinyurl.com/ya76db

British ID cards will be "self-financing", international experts told

British ID cards are to be "self-financing with no subsidy by society," says a document presented to an experts' meeting in Finland on 2-3 November. Set up ten years ago with EU backing, the Porvoo Group held its latest conference in the Finnish town after which it is named. Its main aim is to "promote a trans-national, interoperable electronic identity and secure public and private sector e-transactions in Europe". The Group reports that "an electronic identification service demo made available on the internet has been tested with at least the electronic identity cards of Finland, Estonia, Belgium and Italy as well as the American federal employee ID card". The Group is in close contact with the US on the standardisation of electronic identities. Also increasingly involved with Porvoo is the Asia IC Card Forum, which brings together China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Thailand under the slogan "One Card, One Asia". Several types of electronic ID card are currently being planned in Asia, says the Porvoo Group, which will meet again in Portugal next spring.

US: 338 personal data leaks in three months

Between July and September, US official agencies reported 338 separate security incidents involving personally identifiable information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The figure was given by Karen Evans, the OMB administrator for e-government and IT, to an information security officers' workshop in Virginia at the beginning of November. Many of the incidents did not involve attacks by outsiders, she said. "Primarily, people are losing data."

BBC 'Mythbusters' beat fingerprint security

Video of BBC2 television programme Mythbusters using faked fingerprints to fool biometric security devices is available online. Using gel prints they were able to open a fingerprint activated door lock that also measures temperature and pulse. Three different successful techniques were used including placing a piece of paper with a photocopy of a fingerprint on it over the sensor.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXyFmieZjiE

"ID" in the news

Has Big Brother seen my brolly? - The Daily Telegraph 8/11/06

To the Head of Surveillance, British Government. Hi there! I was going to start this letter "Dear Sir or Madam", then I thought, blow it, we're like old friends. Anyway, I hope I'm not intruding, but I need to ask you a favour. Could you check the images on your eight CCTV cameras between the railway station and the public library for late morning last Thursday or Friday? Only I seem to have lost my umbrella.
http://tinyurl.com/y2ap73

Clubs' fingerprint plan sparks anger - Coventry Telegraph 7/11/06

Pub and clubgoers in Warwickshire could be fingerprinted in a hi-tech scheme to cut under-age boozing and drunken violence. Six venues have been chosen in Nuneaton to pilot a hi-tech government scheme using biometric technology. If the pilot is successful, the technology could be rolled out to other pubs and clubs in Leamington, Rugby and across Warwickshire.
http://tinyurl.com/y46hqq

Reasons to be fearful - The Guardian 7/11/06

Polly Toynbee's robust assault on ID card opponents, while quietly admitting that the cards will likely bring no benefits at all, is a chilling display of blind optimistic faith in what she terms "the benign state". When they ask you to pop along for your biometric scans, don't, please, say "I have nothing to hide, so I have nothing to fear." Instead, just say "No."
http://tinyurl.com/ww8zm

Debate stalls on Iranian bill on fingerprinting US nationals - Khaleej Times Online 6/11/06

An Iranian parliamentary debate over a bill which proposes the fingerprinting of all US citizens entering the country halted Monday amid tensions between deputies, Iranian student news agency ISNA reported. Parliament had in early October approved a bill obliging the digital fingerprinting of all US citizens entering the country, in retaliation for similar measures applied to Iranians entering the United States.
http://tinyurl.com/yhy5ea

Pupils sign in with a 'fingerprint' - The Oxford Times 3/11/06

Pupils at an Oxford school are having their fingerprints scanned to prove they are at school. Cheney School, Headington, is testing a £20,000 biometric register and will advise other schools in the county about whether the system is any good. Although pupils can choose to have a PIN number, the 16-year-old said there were always large queues for the only two machines that took PINs.
http://tinyurl.com/y2bma2

Police fail to record e-crime - Computing 2/11/06

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (Post) report on computer crime says fewer than one in four police forces can generate any record of e-crime and that, as a result, a large proportion goes undetected. The report says this problem is distorting crime figures and hampering prevention.
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2167740/police-fail-record-crime

School uses hands-on biometrics - Computing 2/11/06

A Scottish primary school has installed a biometric system that uses the unique position of the veins in the palm of the hand to allow children to buy their school meals. Palm-vein biometric scanning was selected because it bypasses the data protection issues of using the children�s fingerprints, says Todholm Primary School headteacher Sandra Gibson.
http://tinyurl.com/y9uy6y

Warning over privacy of 50m patient files - The Guardian 1/11/06

Millions of personal medical records are to be uploaded regardless of patients' wishes to a central national database from where information can be made available to police and security services, the Guardian has learned. Though the government says the database will revolutionise management of the NHS, civil liberties critics are calling it "data rape" and are urging Britons to boycott it.
http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/news/0,,1936403,00.html

Fingerprint the expats! FCO plans phase two biometric passport - The Register 31/10/06

Passports issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office are already "biometric", but only in the somewhat minimalist sense required by ICAO - the addition of fingerprints, however, would pull overseas UK residents into the National Identity Register net, closing off a prized but little-known escape route.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/31/fco_secondary_biometric/

Code highlights e-passport eavesdropping risk - The Register 31/10/06

In a posting (http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/449926/30/0/threaded) on security mailing list BugTraq, Adam Laurie of secure hosting facility the bunker explains how the latest version RFIDIOt, an open-source python library for RFID exploration, contains code that implements the standard for machine readable travel documents in the shape of a test program called mrpkey.py.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/31/rfid_e-passport_attack/

EU: Children to be given electronic identity cards - The Telegraph Group Limited 25/6/06

Brussels: Electronic identity cards for all children under 12 are to be introduced in Belgium. They will bear a code designed to allow parents of missing children to be traced instantly. The new children's cards will carry a special code number and instructions on how to call a central missing child hotline.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/06/25/10049322.html

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor(newsletter@no2id.net) )

Publication details: © NO2ID 2010 - This document may be freely redistributed in one-to-one communications or physical copies as long as it is reproduced in its entirety including this notice. It may not be mass-mailed without the prior permission of NO2ID.
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