[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.129

[no2id-supporters at no2id.net]

You can change or cancel this mailing using :
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/options/no2id-supporters


     ++ NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 129 - 30th July 2009 ++

*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)


       + Insecurity in the Home Office +

This week the Daily Mail reported that the biometric residence visa card
that the Home Office brands as the "ID card for foreigners" could be
cloned in 12 minutes using a standard mobile phone, a laptop, and some
freely available software.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204641/New-ID-cards-supposed-unforgeable--took-expert-12-minutes-clone-programme-false-data.html

The experts were then able to alter the data on the cloned card (the
original being unharmed and unaltered in any way) - and re-sign it to
appear genuine to a standard card reader. Our thanks to the NO2ID
volunteer (who must stay anonymous) whose residence card was used for
this demonstration.

The Home Office response to this was a classic of misdirection: They
denied something that hadn't happened (altering the original card) was
possible; then they tried to imply that if anything had happened it
couldn't do so in the future because the encryption on the next
generation of chips - none of which will be issued for a couple of years
- can't be broken that way. The ID cards to be issued to volunteers in
Manchester within the year (it is said) fall somewhere in the gap
between those denials.

The truth is, just as with e-Passports, that there is a fundamental
conflict between the official convenience of having databases and
smartcards that collate and share our personal information
automatically, and the privacy and the security of the individual. The
system is designed to give personal information to the authorities. So
when it does so to other people, whoever they may be, it is only doing
what it was designed for.

The demand that people identify themselves officially at every turn
doesn't just create insecurity. It is actually a sign of insecurity.
Unless the Home Office can know what we are up to, it fears we may be
out of control. Your privacy and your individual security do not count
in the pursuit of that sort of "security".

When some cards *have* been issued we will be eager to repeat the
demonstration for anyone who believes in the scheme and who has
volunteered for an ID Card. They are the people who need to appreciate
what handing control of their identity to the Home Office means for them
personally, because for them there will be no way back but scrapping the
scheme completely.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


       What just happened?

*+ Freedom of Movement in light of UK ID Card "Observations" +

*The back of the ID card "unveiled" by Alan Johnson last month includes
the heading "Observations/Observations" (once in English and once in
French, presumably) and the line "This space is reserved for
observations". In the ID card regulations it states that this relates to
the fact that there will be two types of ID card: a "National Identity
Card" (issued to British citizens and British subjects and valid as a
travel document within the European Economic Area (EEA)) and an
"Identification Card" (which will not be valid as a travel document and
will be issued to "Irish and other EEA nationals and non EEA nationals
who are a family member of an EEA national who are resident in the
United Kingdom", "British citizens and subjects with right of abode who
are not entitled to be issued with a travel document" and "those who
have a proven need to live part of their lives in a different gender to
that on their birth certificate as a potential second card").  As this
is a physical space the observations would no doubt be written rather
than electronic, and would be visible on the surface of the card. So if
the holder of an Identification Card were to take it round to the bank
to open an account, any cashier without even running it through the card
reader can see if the holder is allowed to travel outside the UK or not.
If it's going to be a gatekeeper to external freedom of movement, might
it not also be used a gatekeeper to internal freedom of movement (cf.
curfews, ASBOs etc.)?

*+ Hillingdon issues Entitlement/ID cards +*

The London Borough of Hillingdon has begun issuing "HillingdonFirst"
smart cards to residents to "offer access to services and privileges not
available to non-residents". The council began sending cards out to
residents over 18 on 15th June. Hillingdon council states on its
website: "We will only store and print your name and card number. No
address or financial information will be stored or printed on the card".
In other words the card is a key to a backend database that collates the
other information that is stored. The card is being touted as a
"Privilege Card" with businesses running loyalty discount schemes for
card holders. Issuing residents with a unique card number will allow the
council and participating businesses to share data indexed according to
the card number.
See http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=15421

*+ Biometrics and the G8 +

*The G8 recently released the "G8 Declaration on Counter Terrorism".
Statewatch reports that: "The role of the little publicised, and even
less open to scrutiny, G8 Roma-Lyon Group is openly referred to: It is
reported to have organised a 'ground-breaking' operation on bulk cash
smuggling ('Operation Mantis'); 'practical guidance' on cyber-crime;
charged with measures to: 'identify and promote best practices for
expanding biometric identity management practices for travellers and
improving security in all modes of transportation'."
See http://www.statewatch.org/news/2009/jul/g8-counterterrorism-2009.pdf

*+ HMRC considering outsourcing tax processing to India +

*HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is considering proposals to contract out
sensitive tax processing work to India. In 2007 HMRC famously lost 25
million benefit records -- and millions of unencrypted bank account
details. Lets hope it's the proposals that get lost in the post this
time rather than millions of tax records en route to India.
See http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/tony_collins/
------------------------------------------------------------------------


       What's next?

*+ 12th September - "Freedom Not Fear 2009 -- Stop the
surveillance-mania" +*
On Saturday 12th September there is a call for the 2nd International
Action Day in as many capital cities as possible around the world to
demonstrate against the retention of telecommunication data and other
instruments of surveillance. The aim is to remember of the historical
achievement of civil rights and liberties as a heritage of the age of
enlightenment and to support the trust in security in our free society.
See http://freedomnotfear2009.org/

------------------------------------------------------------------------


       "ID" in the news

*+ Ditching ID cards would save £3bn - The Register 13/8/09 +*
If the Tories win the next election and stick to their promises to
cancel the ID card scheme, they will save the UK economy over £3bn. Some
of the scheme will need to be kept in order to support upgraded
passports, but even so the potential savings are huge. The Tories, if
they win in June 2010, could cancel adding fingerprints to passports,
end the production and distribution of ID cards and reduce IBM's £265m
database contract.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/13/id_card_costs_cancel/

*+ Conservatives to 'dismantle' NPfIT - eHealth Insider 10/8/09 +*
The Conservatives have promised to "dismantle Labour's central NHS IT
infrastructure" and instead move to a choice of local accredited patient
record and clinical systems.
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/5107/conservatives_to_%E2%80%98dismantle%E2%80%99_npfit

*+ Council workers sacked for snooping personal details - Computer
Weekly 4/8/09 +*
Nine staff have been sacked from their local authority jobs for snooping
on personal records of celebrities and personal acquaintances held on
the core database of the government's National Identity Scheme.
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/08/04/237162/council-workers-sacked-for-snooping-personal-details.htm

*+ Free condoms dispensed to young - BBC News online 3/8/09 +*
Teenagers as young as 13 are able to get free condoms from vending
machines which are being placed in colleges and health centres across
Hull. Health chiefs said the specially designed kiosks were introduced
to encourage young people to engage in sexual activity safely. The
machines, which dispense condoms and chlamydia testing kits for free,
work on thumbprint technology. Teenagers have to meet health officials
before they can register to use them.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/8181370.stm

*+ Unionists critical of move on identity card - Irish Times 31/7/09 +*
Unionists have sharply criticised a British government move to allow
those who regard themselves as Irish to apply for ID cards which reflect
their "identity rights".
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0731/1224251764269.html

*+ Have chip, will travel - The Economist 17/7/09 +*
A month of tramping around Europe has given your correspondent a chance
to see how effective the new e-passports are at border crossings.  The
immigration officer still has to open the e-passport, read its contents
and then swipe its bar-code through an optical reader to get the
bearer's file up on a screen ready to ask a few questions.
http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/techview/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14066895

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter -
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS + *

To see if there's a group in your area check our list at
http://www.no2id.net/localGroups/
Or, if you're interested in starting a group yourself, please contact
Matty on local.groups at no2id.net to discuss what's involved and what we
have in place to support coordinators and their groups.

_*+ Alexandra Palace +*_

*+ 9th September - Alexandra Palace NO2ID monthly meeting (2nd Wednesday
of month) +*
Wednesday 9th September, 8:15pm at The Gate pub on Station Road (N22
7SS). All welcome. For further details please contact
alexandra.palace at no2id.net

_*+ Cambridge +*_

*+ 22nd August - Cambridge NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 22nd August, in the usual spot outside Cambridge Guildhall
(http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mape/T5LZATLS) from 11am. Please contact
Andrew on 07710 469624 if you'd like to help.

*+ 2nd September **- Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting (1st Wednesday of month) +*
Cambridge NO2ID's informal pub meetings are on the first Wednesday of
each month. Join us at 7:30pm on Wednesday 2nd September at the
Salisbury Arms, 76 Tenison Rd, Cambridge CB1 2DW
(http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mape/CYXNES29). For more details contact
cambridge at no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624.

_*+ Camden and Islington +*_
**
*+ 1st September - Camden & Islington NO2ID monthly meeting (1st Tuesday
of month) +*
Camden & Islington NO2ID meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 8pm at
The The Kings Head, 59 Essex Road, Islington, N1 2SF. For more info
email camden at no2id.net or join the mailing list at:
(http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.camden).

_*+ Canterbury +*_

*+ 20th August - Canterbury NO2ID Meeting +*
Thursday 20th August, 19:30 at the Bell and Crown, Palace Street,
Canterbury. Would be great to see some more faces. For further details
contact Jen Leighton on canterbury at no2id.net

To stay up to date join the Canterbury NO2ID mailing list on:
http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.canterbury

_*+ Coventry +*_

*+ 22nd August - Coventry and Birmingham NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 22nd August, Coventry and Birmingham NO2ID will be joining
forces for a stall in Coventry city centre. Anyone who'd like to be
involved, please get in touch or just turn up on the day. We'll be next
to the Glasshouse bar, by the Bull Yard, between 10:00 and 17:00.

_**__*+ Daventry +*_

*+ 9th September - Daventry NO2ID Meeting +*
Wednesday 9th September, 8pm at the Dun Cow, Brook Street, Daventry.
There is no meeting in August.

_*+ Dorking +*_

*+ 1st September - Dorking NO2ID Meeting (1st Tuesday of month) +*
Dorking NO2ID's monthly get together is at The Lincoln Arms, by Dorking
mainline station, every first Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm.

*+ 9th September - Question Time on Civil Liberties, Ewell +*
For those on the net, go here to see our Question Time on Civil
Liberties promotional flyer
(http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/news-and-events/pdfs/civil-liberties-question-time-poster.pdf).
Hope to see you there. Otherwise, local get together every first Tuesday
at the Lincoln Arms near Dorking
mainline station, 7.30pm.

_*+ Edinburgh +
*_*****
+ 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/

*+ Edinburgh Festival Free Fringe show 'Freedom Come, Freedom Go! - Free'*
'Freedom Come, Freedom Go! - Free' is performed by Tom Read, the Norwich
NO2ID Coordinator and part-time stand up comedian. Go to the NO2ID
Edinburgh announce list or the NO2ID Forum
(http://forum.no2id.net/viewtopic.php?t=28844) for more information on
this and two other Fringe shows.

_*+ Epsom +*_

*+ 9th September - Question Time on Civil Liberties, Ewell +*
If you have not yet decided about coming along to NO2ID's Question Time
on Civil Liberties in Bourne Hall,
Ewell, check out our promotional flyer on Liberty's web site
(http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/newsand-
events/pdfs/civil-liberties-question-time-poster.pdf). See you there.

If anyone wants to get involved in the Epsom area, please email or phone
NO2ID South East Regional Coordinator Geoff Cox on south.east at no2id.net
or call 01306 631377.

_*+ Exeter +*_

There is now a shiny new Exeter NO2ID group! Anyone in the vicinity that
would like to join a mailing list, meet up, talk action etc, just email
exeter at no2id.net and say hello! Very importantly, Exeter council has
just unanimously passed a reaffirmation of expression of distrust of the
ID card scheme. We're looking to draw together some members for stalls,
letters, media coverage etc, so get in touch!
**
_*+ Glasgow +*_

*+ 1st September - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting +*
****Glasgow NO2ID meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 8pm in Mono.
All welcome. Please contact Geraint for further details: glasgow at no2id.net

_*+ Hackney +*_

*+ 27th August - Hackney NO2ID Meeting*
Thursday 27th August, 8pm at the Pembury Tavern, Hackney, E8 1JH.

*+ 5th September - Hackney NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 5th of September 2009, 12 til 7 at Wennington Green, BOW E3 5TG

_*+ Hammersmith & Fulham +
*_
As hardly anyone in our borough seems to support ID cards, we would also
be interested in hearing from anyone who might like to help out with a
stall in say Ealing or Acton shopping centres. Please contact as above,
or via (hammersmith at no2id.net).

*+ Thursday, 24th September - another 'Database State' evening +*
"Tagged, tracked and tailed? - our speakers explore the claims made for
CCTV cameras; the privacy implications of ANPR and other vehicle
tracking technology".
Charles Farrier - NO CCTV campaign
Martin Kicks - Privacy campaigner
All NO2ID colleagues welcome. More information on
www.no2id-handf.org.uk/db240909.htm or from Brian, 07976-414913.

_*+ Ipswich +*_

*Calling Ipswich supporters*
Recently Cambridge and Norwich NO2ID groups joined forces to run a very
successful street stall in Ipswich town centre, garnering over 130 new
NO2ID supporters. We'd like to build on this success to re-establish an
Ipswich local group. If you live near Ipswich and would be interested in
participating in a local group there, please contact Andrew Watson
(andrew.watson at no2id.net) or Matty Mitford (local.groups at no2id.net).

_*+ Lancaster +*_

Subscribe to the Lancaster NO2ID e-mail list at
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.lancaster

_*+ Leeds +*_*

**+ Mark Thomas in Harrogate +*
Several members of Leeds NO2ID attended the Mark Thomas show in
Harrogate recently and their manifesto suggestion "Anyone who supports
ID cards should be banned from having curtains" was voted top idea!
(http://www.markthomasinfo.com/policies.asp). Not sure what effect it'll
have, but a heartening experience nonetheless.

_*+ Manchester +*_

ID cards are to be introduced in Manchester this autumn. Recent spin
from the Home Office has convinced people that the National Identity
Scheme has been cancelled, that it isn't a threat and it's voluntary.
It's more important than ever to get the word out about the Database State.
**
_*+ Newport +
*_
If you are interested in the work of the Newport group, please join
their mailing list on: http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.newport
*
*_*+ Norwich +*_

*+ 1st-29th August - Photo-ID Exhibition +*
1st-29th August, 7am-midnight, Norwich City Centre. Identity is a fluid
and complex set of overlapping and sometimes contradictory properties
and assertions. The complexity of personal and social identity will be
explored in Photo-ID, a major exhibition in Norwich City Centre centred
around The Forum throughout August 2009. Free. For more info see:
www.photo-id.org.uk

*+ 15th August - Norwich NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 15th August, 1pm-3pm at The Haymarket, Gentleman's Walk. Please
come along for ID card and database-related antics. Fresher or seasoned
protester, anyone welcome! Say no to Big Bro.

*+ 18th August - Norwich NO2ID Group Meeting +*
Tuesday, 18th August, 7.30pm-9pm at The Workshop (opposite The Black
Horse), 53 Earlham Road, NR2 3AD. Discuss what ID cards and being on
various government databases will entail and ways of fighting back.

If you are interested in the work of the Norwich group, please join
their mailing list on: http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.norwich

_*+ Oxford +*_

*+ 29th August - Oxford NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday, 29th August in Cornmarket Street - we usually meet by St
Michael's tower and we'll be there from 11am for a couple of hours.
Let's hope for some better weather than the soggy stall at the start of
August!

*+ 3rd September - NO2ID Oxford monthly pub meeting (first Thursday of
month) +*
3rd September at the Mitre on the High Street from 8pm for an hour or so
for a chat and to discuss the campaign. All welcome.

See the website for more: http://no2id-oxford.org.uk/

_*+ Watford +*_

*+ Call for Volunteers** +*
The NO2ID Watford group also covers the towns of St. Albans, Hemel
Hempstead and Rickmansworth and the surrounding south west Hertfordshire
region. We are currently seeking volunteers to help organise activities
in the area. We usually meet on the first Tuesday of each month in a pub
in Watford but we are prepared to consider rotating this with the other
towns if it is more convenient to people. We also hold a street stall
the following Saturday morning after the meeting in each of the towns.
The street stall is great fun and allows us to interact with the public
and to get signatures on the petition. We are also looking for people to
lobby their local council to get a resolution passed of non cooperation
with the identity card and database scheme. Watford and Three Rivers
have passed such a motion and we need people from St. Albans, Dacorum
and Hertsmere to write to their councillor. Please contact Colin Simmons
on (watford at no2id.net).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can change how you receive our newsletter, or cancel it, by using
the 'Unsubscribe or edit options' form at the bottom of this page:

http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id-supporters

If you have any problems, please send an e-mail to listmaster at no2id.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Publication details: © NO2ID 2009 - 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