[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.88
no2id-supporters at no2id.net
no2id-supporters at no2id.net
Fri Jan 4 12:01:10 GMT 2008
NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 88 - 3rd January 2008
*Contacting us:* Call or email the office - 020-7793-4005 or
(office at no2id.net). Please do not reply to this email. (The from address
is not a working email address)
JOIN THE NEW YEAR'S REVOLUTION
Firstly, thank you all for helping NO2ID become Our Kingdom's "Most
effective campaign of the year" and top Iain Dale's 'Pressure Group of
2007' poll, with 21% of the vote. By working together across boundaries,
we're showing just what can be achieved.
Yet another 'data protection' review (published by the Justice Committee
on 3/1/08) has missed the point entirely. Punishments for data leaks,
however harsh, will make no difference to fools or criminals. A
fraudster or a stalker set on abusing a person is hardly likely to worry
about penalties for abusing records. And once your information is out,
the damage is done.
People are beginning to realise that the only way to stop abuse of your
confidential information is not to give it to the authorities in the
first place. If enough people say *now*, "No, I will not cooperate",
then the ID system simply cannot be implemented.
If you haven't done so already and you want to resist, please make the
NO2ID Pledge - and tell your friends and family too. NO2ID Pledge
certificates and instructions can be downloaded from www.no2id.net/pledge
The NO2ID Pledge is perfectly legal, but it is as revolutionary in
implication as the ID scheme itself. It says there are limits to what we
will take from officialdom. Why not start a New Year's Revolution of
your own?
Data sharing - Have your say (consultation closes 15th February)
A consultation on the use and sharing of personal information in the
public and private sectors has been launched by the Ministry of Justice.
The consultation document contains a questionnaire for your views on
data sharing (see
www.justice.gov.uk/publications/data-sharing-review-consultation.htm).
Please also send NO2ID details (with evidence) of occasions where public
authorities or others are demanding more information than necessary for
the purpose. Our address is NO2ID, Box 412, 19-21 Crawford Street,
London W1H 1PJ or send by e-mail to (office at no2id.net). The consultation
ends on 15th February.
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What's next?
Show you support us
We are upgrading our records and notice that many supporters live in the
same street as others. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise now that
there are 40,000 registered NO2ID supporters.
We will of course never give anyone any of your information without your
consent, but one way you can make yourself discreetly known to your
neighbours (and advertise the campaign!) is to display a NO2ID window
sticker on your house or car. Send the office a DL (business letter
size) stamped addressed envelope - if possible with a donation to cover
the costs - and we will send you one. (Members get a free window sticker
and badge when they join: http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/join.php )
Local groups news
We have local groups all over the country and in 36 of the 69 locations
of ID interrogation centres (see
www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php). If you can help to set up a
local group in one of the remaining towns then please contact us at
(office at no2id.net). A full list of local groups can be found at
www.no2id.net/localGroups
New local group mailing lists
We have been setting up mailing lists for all of our local groups (by
the end of the year all groups should have a list). The mailing lists
are a way for local group members to find out about local events and
share information. Go to the local groups page
(www.no2id.net/localGroups) and see if your local group has a list, then
just click the link and complete the form to join the list. Once you're
signed up you can send a message to the list and say 'hello' so that
others know you're out there.
_Bradford_
*19th January - Bradford NO2ID meeting
*Saturday, 19th January at The Old Dolphin, Highgate Rd, Clayton
Heights, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD13 1DR. Contact Jason Smith at
bradford at no2id.net for more details.
_Cambridge_
*Ipswich Borough Council rejects ID cards*
On Wednesday 12th December Ipswich Borough Council passed a motion
noting that the disadvantages of the ID cards scheme "will outweigh any
likely benefits to the people of Ipswich" and to "make it a policy of
the Council to ensure that national identity cards would not be required
to access council services or benefits unless specifically required to
do so by law". The council also voted to affiliate to NO2ID. The motion
was proposed by Cllr Nadia Cenci (Conservative), and supported by
Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors, several of whom spoke in
support of the motion. No-one from the Labour group spoke during the
debate, and all Labour councillors abstained on the vote. Full minutes
(MS Word): http://tinyurl.com/2vhjcc
*5th January - NO2ID Cambridge Stall*
Saturday, 5th January 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge
Guildhall. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. As ever, volunteers
to help very welcome - please email cambridge at no2id.net, or text/call
Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.
_Dorking_
*8th January - Dorking NO2ID meeting*
Tuesday, 8th January 7.30pm at the Surrey Oaks pub, Parkgate Road,
Newdigate.
_Edinburgh_
*Scottish Parliament gives resounding thumbs down to ID cards*
There was a lengthy debate in the Scottish Parliament 13th December and
the result was a firm thumbs down. See item 10 of the following:
www.jwelford.demon.co.uk/snecnews.htm
*Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall*
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at
the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop by
for a chat. New volunteers - please contact John (edinburgh at no2id.net),
and for more group information see http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/
_Glasgow_
*Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow Street Stall*
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually Buchanan
Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please contact
Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow at no2id.net.
*8th January - Glasgow NO2ID meeting*
Tuesday, 8th January 8pm at Mono. The first of Glasgow NO2ID's
fortnightly meetings this year at the usual time and place. All welcome!
Map: http://www.glasgow-no2id.org.uk/meeting.html
_Liverpool_
*Liverpool council votes against ID cards*
On 12th December Liverpool City Council passed a motion entitled 'Police
not plastic' against ID cards and the National Identity Register. The
motion stated that: "these plans will unfairly penalise those residents
in the poorer communities in Liverpool" and proposed that "this Council
wishes to endorse the Campaign Organisation NO2ID". More details can be
found at
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.asp?CId=305&MId=7177&Ver=4&J=5
_Lowestoft_
* *17th January - Lowestoft NO2ID meeting - * Please note change of date **
Thursday, 17th January 7.00pm for 7.30 at The Hotel Victoria, Kirkley
Cliff, Lowestoft, Suffolk (http://www.thehotelvictoria.co.uk).
_Newcastle/Gateshead_
Our stall held on 8th December was cold and windswept but saw double the
number of people sign up to the petition than usual. There is a lot of
strong feeling out there!
*8th January - Newcastle NO2ID meeting*
Tuesday, 8th January at 7.00pm at the Bridge Hotel in Newcastle. All
welcome.
*12th January - Newcastle NO2ID stall*
Saturday, 12th January from 11.00am to 1.00pm at the Monument in
Newcastle. All welcome.
*20th February - Taking Liberties showing*
Wednesday, 20th February 7.30pm at the Star and Shadow Cinema. The
acclaimed film Taking Liberties, featuring NO2ID, will be shown.
_Staines_
*Spelthorne council passes anti ID motion*
On 13th December Spelthorne Borough Council passed a motion opposing ID
cards and the National Identity Register. The council declared they
would not take part in any trials or make the registering of a card a
condition of access to local services. Full details at
http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/13dec07_mins.doc
_Thanet_
*25th January Thanet NO2ID Meeting*
Friday,25th January 7pm at Pascucci Cafe,14 Buenos Ayres Rd, Margate.
The café owner agreed to open especially in the evening for our meeting.
The café is right opposite Margate railway station, and next to a pub
which will be the backup venue. Contact thanet at no2id.net for more details.
_Worcester_
Just before Christmas we had the first batch of our original Cathy
Simpson cartoons printed appropriately using her "Santa barred for
having no ID". We have three other of Cathy's cartoons ready to use in
the coming year. The current format is as a postcard, with big bold
bullet points on the back. We still have two other publications ready to
print (when we get the funds) - an A4 summary of what ID and databases
will and won't do for you, and a similar more detailed one on two A4 pages.
6th February - Worcester NO2ID pub meeting (No meeting in January)
Wednesday, 6 February at The Portobello, Bransford Road, St John's,
Worcester
(http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=383268&Y=253763&A=Y&Z=1).
Our regular, meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month. This
month: Roles, Recruitment and the Rest of Worcestershire. Contact
Worcester at no2id.net or 01905 735986
------------------------------------------------------------------------
What just happened?
UK is an "endemic surveillance society"
Privacy International, together with the Electronic Privacy Information
Centre, has released its latest survey of global privacy. The report
described as "probably the most comprehensive single volume report
published in the human rights field" is over 1,100 pages long and
includes 6,000 footnotes. The US is the worst ranking country in the
so-called democratic world. In terms of overall privacy protection the
United States has performed very poorly, being out-ranked by both India
and the Philippines and falling into the "black" category, denoting
endemic surveillance. The worst ranking EU country is the United
Kingdom, which again fell into the "black" category along with Russia
and Singapore. For more information and to download the report go to
http://tinyurl.com/3bt4a4
As others see us
It is becoming a familiar pattern on continental TV - producers in
search of The Threat to Privacy dispatch a crew to the world's leading
surveillance state, which just happens to be a big island conveniently
close to Calais. The resulting footage will not warm the cockles of the
British Tourist Authority's heart ("A romantic weekend away from it all?
Why not visit the world's most-watched country?"). And the latest
example of the genre will have been seen more widely than most. It went
out on Arte, a channel which transmits in both German and French to a
large swathe of Europe. This time, Gloucester was doing the honours.
Proud bobbies showed how a man dropping litter in front of a
surveillance camera will get told off by a loudspeaker. At least, he
will do if the policewoman is watching her screens. Later, the reporter
gleefully proved that erring foreigners can dump rather large pieces of
litter in front of the selfsame camera without provoking any response at
all. But Arte's point was a serious one, and it asked a question that
should be of real concern in the UK: what will life be like in a society
which combines widespread video surveillance with electronic ID cards
backed by a database? For the ID side of that equation it turned to
Belgium where electronic ID is already the norm. As Arte pointed out,
the Belgian cards have a lot of unused storage capacity on their chips.
What, it asked the man in charge, would happen if Belgium ever became a
dictatorship? He neatly sidestepped the question: "Er, if ever we get
invaded again, I suppose we'll manage to erase the database."
German ePassport woes
Since November all new German passports have been of the
second-generation biometric type incorporating two fingerprints. But the
security of the data transmissions from local passport offices to the
central manufacturing plant has been called into question. In one
federal state, the data protection officer publicly declared that "legal
data protection provisions are in no way being observed". Similar lapses
are reported from three other states. Another criticism is that the
readers in the passport issuing offices do not meet EU requirements.
Holders of new passports are supposed to be able to check all the data
on them at the time of delivery -- including the fingerprints. But the
readers in the passport offices do not let them do so. So if the wrong
fingerprints are included in a passport, its bearer will be unaware of
the problem until he or she is stopped, and probably arrested, at a border.
Austrian anti-surveillance initiative
An "Initiative for Protection Against the Surveillance State" was
launched in Austria on 17 December. Its initial aim is to reopen
parliamentary scrutiny of new police powers. Police will be able to
demand immediate disclosure of IP address owners and mobile phone
tracking data. No warrant will be required if the police argue that
there is an "imminent danger". The powers were added to the new Security
Police Law at the last minute, during a late-night sitting on 6
December. Behind the Initiative are several professors of IT, the
Judges' Association, the Austrian Computer Association and an MP. It has
opened two websites and aims to collect at least 10,000 signatures.
"Citizens do have security needs," an Initiative spokesman said at the
press launch, "but they don't want to live in a surveillance state."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"ID" in the news
Four-fifths of doctors say electronic record insecure - e-Health
Insider 3/1/08
Four-fifths of doctors are concerned that current plans for patients'
health records to be available from a central database -- the summary
care record - will make them insecure, according to a survey for the Times.
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/3350/four-fifths_of_doctors_say_electronic_record_insecure
Give up ID cards for new year, Gordon - The Guardian 1/1/08
As he looked back on a year that was going so right until it went
horribly wrong, the prime minister yesterday received unsolicited advice
from the new Liberal Democrat leader about how to ensure 2008 turns out
more happily. Scrap ID cards, Nick Clegg urged.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2233786,00.html
NHS e-records programme launched - BBC News Online 31/12/07
The first patients' electronic records have been uploaded to the new NHS
online database. Around 20 GP surgeries in Bolton and Bury have added
110,000 patients' details to the system, part of the £12bn NHS IT
upgrade project.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7130627.stm
Beware the state's ID card sharks - The Sunday Times - 30/12/07
If Gordon Brown picks one failure from his first six months to learn
from, it should be the loss of 25m people's personal details. If he
makes one resolution for 2008, it should be to scrap his reckless plan
to introduce compulsory ID cards.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article3108069.ece
Byrne puts fake ID frighteners on illegal employers - The
Register 28/12/07
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne is to celebrate the first wave of the ID
card rollout next year with a scary ad campaign threatening employers of
illegal immigrants with fines of £10,000 per offence and up to two years
in prison. But even by the low standards of the Home Office, "the
biggest shake-up of the immigration system for 40 years" promises to be
impressively toothless - if Byrne is depending on the fine income for
the 2009 New Year party, he will be a disappointed man.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/28/immigrant_employment_rule_change/
Police data details found at dump - BBC News Online 26/12/07
A senior police officer has apologised after confidential details of
staff were found on a dump in Devon.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7160490.stm
Australia's controversial national ID program hits the dumpster
- ars technica 24/12/07
Opponents of Australia's controversial Access Card received an early
Christmas present earlier this month when the incoming Rudd Labor
Government finally axed the controversial ID program.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071224-australias-controversial-national-id-program-hits-the-dumpster.html
Thousands of driver details lost - BBC News Online 11/12/07
The Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland has lost the personal
details of 6,000 people. The data was on two discs and went missing
after being sent to the agency's headquarters in Swansea.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7138408.stm
US: A scanning system beyond fingerprinting - timesunion.com
11/12/07
Washington County sheriff's deputies are now able to use eye-scanning
technology to identify missing children, should the need arise. Iris
recognition technology uses high-resolution digital photography to
remember the unique patterns in the eye's soft tissue. Since 2005, DCJS
has enrolled some 186,300 children in Operation SAFE Child, a program
that records a child's name, date of birth, height, weight, hair color,
eye color and a fingerprint of both index fingers on a photo
identification card.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=646141&category=FRONTPG&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=12/11/2007
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter -
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
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Publication details: © NO2ID 2007 - 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.
NO2ID, Box 412, 19-21 Crawford Street, LONDON W1H 1PJ
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