Stand by for the Orwellian metaphors about ID cards
Michael Cross writes in The Guardian about ID Cards, the e-borders system, and DWP Customer Information System:
Over the next few months, opponents of identity cards will be deploying a full set of Orwellian metaphors to try to persuade the new prime minister and home secretary to have second thoughts about this apparently Big Brother scheme. They are not quite whistling in the wind. On the card itself, the government has some room to manoeuvre without losing political face or going back on international agreements. For a clue to Gordon Brown’s thinking, look at Sir David Varney’s review of government services, published by the Treasury last December.
Although near-obsessive on the subject of rationalising the means through which the state identifies its citizens, the review makes no mention of the ID card. As it is supposed to inform policy decisions until 2011, this looks like good news for the No2ID-ers opposing it. But don’t get too excited. Even if the government turns down the heat under the card (except where issued as a biometric passport), two further national identity schemes are coming to the boil.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:37
Anybody got any information on these two other national identity schemes?
July 5th, 2007 at 13:51
As I advised you in Feb this year, the HMRC Tax card is one.
The other is likely to be a new chipped driving licence.
July 5th, 2007 at 14:12
The second scheme may be CONTACTPOINT. The new database for Children.
This would then give government total control from cradle to grave.
As children become of age, their information would automatically be moved from ContactPoint into the HMRC Tax (social security) card system.
July 7th, 2007 at 10:49
FTFA-FFS
The first
‘One is the “e-borders” system for tracking people coming in and out of the country by collecting and analysing data about passengers before they arrive in the UK (the “e” in the title stands for “external”).’
The second
‘A more significant, though little known, identity management project is already under way, however. This is the Department for Work and Pensions’ customer information system (CIS),’
RTFA!
July 24th, 2007 at 11:27
The children’s database fills me with dread. There is already a scandal brewing about Social Workers taking children from innocent mothers to meet adoption targets -see http://www.forced-adoption.com – when Contactpoint comes in, its hard not to imagine it being used as a source fishing trips.
David