ID cards would benefit racketeers, not public
George Smith offers the entertaining suggestion that there is a conspiracy to undermine ID cards (Letters, January 21). It is certainly true that many civil servants privately express deep reservations about the national ID scheme. Many at the sharp end of government IT systems are supporters of NO2ID. However, there is a more mundane explanation for the recent spate of reported data losses; and it does not require any fanciful conspiracy theories.
Years of woeful scrutiny by parliament have resulted in a government that seeks primarily to serve itself. Bureaucratic convenience is first and foremost in the minds of ministers who are incapable of recognising the difference between the public interest and bureaucratic self-interest.
Data protection has never been taken seriously by Whitehall. The
UK Government chose to exempt itself from the Data Protection Act rather than burden itself with
the duty of care that is owed to citizens. As Christine Grahame, the SNP MSP, has just discovered,
DVLA has been profiting handsomely from the sale of driver details: more than five million driver records
have been sold to private companies since 2002.
At the heart of government
policy is the Transformational Government agenda, the deliberate aim of which is vastly to increase data-sharing while stripping away
the minimal protections that
currently exist. It is an agenda that
serves bureaucrats rather than the needs of citizens.
Ministers talk of protecting our identities, but like all protection rackets, the national ID scheme is designed to benefit the racketeers,
not the public.
Geraint Bevan,
NO2ID Scotland,
3e Grovepark Gardens,
Glasgow.
© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without
permission is prohibited.
Posted by: An t-Amadan, Alba on 12:10am Tue 22 Jan 08
But it's the racketeers who have announced their intention of introducing them!
But it's the racketeers who have announced their intention of introducing them!
Posted by: Roger, Aylesbury, Bucks. on 4:40am Tue 22 Jan 08
Proposed ID cards will work great for large organisations where everyone concerned is on the database and every point of transaction has reading equipment.
Nationally it is virtually is impossible to satisfy both these conditions and hence it is obvious that these ID cards will fail.
How will these cards work where there is no reading equipment?
How would we stop fraudsters from using fakes of these cards as IDs where there is no reading equipment?
To deter fraudsters from misusing our stolen personal and card details the government and banks have the option to exploit ID KEY system described on website www.xwave.co.uk They have both ignored to exploit this honesty restoring system for last 14 years and that is why fraud has become such a serious problem.
Proposed ID KEY can be treated as a reliable international ID card because it will personalise signature and PIN number to only the right individuals.
Proposed ID cards will work great for large organisations where everyone concerned is on the database and every point of transaction has reading equipment.
Nationally it is virtually is impossible to satisfy both these conditions and hence it is obvious that these ID cards will fail.
How will these cards work where there is no reading equipment?
How would we stop fraudsters from using fakes of these cards as IDs where there is no reading equipment?
To deter fraudsters from misusing our stolen personal and card details the government and banks have the option to exploit ID KEY system described on website www.xwave.co.uk They have both ignored to exploit this honesty restoring system for last 14 years and that is why fraud has become such a serious problem.
Proposed ID KEY can be treated as a reliable international ID card because it will personalise signature and PIN number to only the right individuals.
Posted by: Cynicus on 9:48am Tue 22 Jan 08
[quote]George Smith offers the entertaining suggestion that there is a conspiracy to undermine ID cards (Letters, January 21).[/quote] - Geraint Bevan, NO2ID Scotland
I read Mr Smith's letter as a spoof. Is Mr Evans too cynical?
George Smith offers the entertaining suggestion that there is a conspiracy to undermine ID cards (Letters, January 21).
- Geraint Bevan, NO2ID Scotland
I read Mr Smith's letter as a spoof. Is Mr Evans too cynical?
Posted by: Cynicus on 9:50am Tue 22 Jan 08
Mr BEVAN! Being nigh Bevan with "Evans" is not good enough. Sorry
Mr BEVAN! Being nigh Bevan with "Evans" is not good enough. Sorry
Posted by: Bill Irvine, Wonderland on 11:33am Tue 22 Jan 08
Without ID cards how can we be sure that the MPs who are voting for the introduction of ID cards are really who they claim to be?
They could all be the perpetrators of ID theft. For example, I am sure that the government that I voted for was a caring, principled bunch with no self interest. Somewhere along the way they have been replaced by corrupt look-alikes.
Without ID cards how can we be sure that the MPs who are voting for the introduction of ID cards are really who they claim to be?
They could all be the perpetrators of ID theft. For example, I am sure that the government that I voted for was a caring, principled bunch with no self interest. Somewhere along the way they have been replaced by corrupt look-alikes.
Posted by: Geraint, Glasgow on 11:46am Tue 22 Jan 08
No Cynicus, Mr Bevan fully appreciates the humour in Mr Smith's letter. Nevertheless, there is a serious point to be made, which this one attempts to address.
An t-Amadan, yes it is indeed the racketeers who are trying to introduce the scheme.
No Cynicus, Mr Bevan fully appreciates the humour in Mr Smith's letter. Nevertheless, there is a serious point to be made, which this one attempts to address.
An t-Amadan, yes it is indeed the racketeers who are trying to introduce the scheme.
Posted by: chris walker, west kilbride on 11:56am Tue 22 Jan 08
It was Nye Bevan, not Geraint, who said in his book 'In Place of Fear' that "silent pain evokes no response". But thank God for both men. Geraint's forensic skills together with the government's unlimited capacity for shooting itself in the foot, have swung the debate around. Only Big Clunkin now aka wee cluckin and the Bratcherites continue to believe in ID cards, and even the Tory element of the hybrid is opposed, at least as I understand Cameron's latest flip from previous flops. I think Cynicus over-estimates George Smith's capacity for irony. The latter's penchant for stupidity, however, is never to be disregarded. Have they found the 3 million missing drivers' licences in Iowa yet?
It was Nye Bevan, not Geraint, who said in his book 'In Place of Fear' that "silent pain evokes no response". But thank God for both men. Geraint's forensic skills together with the government's unlimited capacity for shooting itself in the foot, have swung the debate around. Only Big Clunkin now aka wee cluckin and the Bratcherites continue to believe in ID cards, and even the Tory element of the hybrid is opposed, at least as I understand Cameron's latest flip from previous flops. I think Cynicus over-estimates George Smith's capacity for irony. The latter's penchant for stupidity, however, is never to be disregarded. Have they found the 3 million missing drivers' licences in Iowa yet?
Posted by: Jill Ferguson, Partick, Glasgow on 5:43pm Tue 22 Jan 08
There has been alot of very interesting talk of the I.D. Card Bill, of late. Not least the way in which the way in which it has been ridiculed by comics on the BBC's "Mock The Week!"
With terrorists having I.D.Cards being a frankly ludicrous concept.
Lets just hope if is the case that by 2013: Parliament are to vote on making it compulsory for all to have some form of biometric ID, that our numbskull Government Officials are far more careful with how we store such sensitive and valuable information, i.e. if in back up formatts. As their record to date, for losing highly sensitive information and presonal details of millions, i.e. from stolen laptop computers or C.D's is quite frankly ludicrous.
Finally, I whole heartedly echo the sentiments and wording of Geraint Bevan, whom I respect most sincerely, in his saying: [italic] "the national ID scheme is designed to benefit the racketeers, not the public."[/italic]
There has been alot of very interesting talk of the I.D. Card Bill, of late. Not least the way in which the way in which it has been ridiculed by comics on the BBC's "Mock The Week!"
With terrorists having I.D.Cards being a frankly ludicrous concept.
Lets just hope if is the case that by 2013: Parliament are to vote on making it compulsory for all to have some form of biometric ID, that our numbskull Government Officials are far more careful with how we store such sensitive and valuable information, i.e. if in back up formatts. As their record to date, for losing highly sensitive information and presonal details of millions, i.e. from stolen laptop computers or C.D's is quite frankly ludicrous.
Finally, I whole heartedly echo the sentiments and wording of Geraint Bevan, whom I respect most sincerely, in his saying:
"the national ID scheme is designed to benefit the racketeers, not the public."
Features
INDEX
Comment | Read Comments (8)
