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Privacy
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
What right does the state have to view your e-mail? Or video tape you in the street?
Should there ever be a national ID card? Heck no. Who is the government to demand that people carry such a thing?
Should there ever be a national ID card? Heck no. Who is the government to demand that people carry such a thing?
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yes. i think there should be. it would make daily life much easier.
How about when the little kids go missing? By the tapes they can see where their last footsteps where which usually helps find them.
I couldn't care less if someone was checking my e-mail, if it was that important/secret I wouldn't e-mail it.
I don't think it's an issue of destroying peoples privacy, but more safety
:no:
Video= :yes:
E-mail= :no:
CCTV in the street is normal in most highstreets, I bet when they catch the person that pick pocketed your wallet you wouldnt complain ? or when someone was mugged and they got the full desription and caught the person involved then you also wouldnt complain.
Oh nonsense.
How would you feel if your telephone was tapped for no reason, every little thing that you've ever said being put onto a little file to be used as incriminating evidence later. Or how about any sexy emails youve sent, all your pivate words and feelings being read by some spook to be used against you later.
CCTV is a necessary evil, I feel that it does improve safety- to an extent. But that isn't really snooping, I don't think- if the CCTV cameras were trained into your bedroom, that would be an unacceptable violation of privacy.
And as for ID cards- I dont trust the Government to hold my retina scan or my fingerprint on a database, unless I have actually committed a crime. Whos to restrict how they use this data, whos to stop them using this data against political opponents or other such "enemy of the state". Blair is already showing his facist tendencies with removing the right to a fair trial and the right to freely move (for children at least- how long before an adult curfew?)- I wouldnt trrust him not to use thsi information against his opponents. After all, he has also already used personal CONFIDENTIAL medical records to discredit an eldeerly opponent of PF! in Worcester and Kidderminster.
Anyone who thinks "if you're not doing wrong then you've nothing to worry about" is a complete idiot.
RIP bill. Did you campaign against it?
How exactly would the Government holding your retinal scan on record, whilst making you pay £39 for the privilege, make daily life any easier? Would it magically stop people being violent- "excuse me mate, let me just check your ID card before you mug me", would it magically stop people coming into this country illegally, would it magically stop people raping 13-month-old babies- "sure, you can rape my kid, but only if I can make sure youve got an ID card first".
Err, care to point out exactly why itd make daily life easier, if the answer to my questions are an emphatic "no"?
Firstly it would mean quick identification of you if you were in an accident. It would also mean an easy way to deal with companies such as banks who demand identification. I don't have a driving licence and some people don't have passports so a national identity card system would give everyone a method to identify themselves in their day to day tasks. The government also says it would act as an entitlement card to crack down on fraud in the social security system and health tourism in the NHS. It could also be used instead of a passport or driving licence so it would all be put on one card.
Crack down on benefit fraud? can it detect someone working cash in hand then? If people don't have passports can they not just apply for one if this is a problem or get some other form of identity voluntarily.
If you were found lying unconscious (sp) on the street, wouldnt you like the person who found you to know who you are, so they can contact your family and what not?
It would not have to be compulsory to have in your person at all times - that's not necessary. And I'm sure it would not have to cost £39 a year either.
No but it can check that the money from benefits is going to the person named. A passport is a bit much to carry around constantly don't you think? The trouble with other identity cards is a lack of uniformity and instant recognisability as well as forgery. What we need is a single national identity card - and that's what's being proposed.
Yeah thanks for addition KoolCat!
Do you actually understand benefiot fraud AT ALL? Most benefit fraud is committed by a) people working cash in hand and b) by private landlords claiming rent for people who either get robbed by said landlord with extra rent or by landlords claiming extra rent. And given the introduction of Direct Payment payments to incorrect people are now easier than ever.
Basically I dont trust the love-child of Thatcher and Pol Pot who is currently running this country not to screw me over big time.
Oh, the evil crime of underage drinking. Now that ruly is heinous enough to require the Government to have our fingerprints and retinal scans on record :rolleyes:
Which planet are YOU on? Blunkett has already said in a white paper that it would cost £39, or were you not really paying attention to that bit?
the only thing that annoys me about cctv all over the place is that it constantly reminds me how far down the pan we have gone moraly. the cameras are there becuase we no longer trust each other. we no longer respect each other. everyone and everything has become a target that must be watched. the need to prtotect ourselves from each other. we are becoming so dishonest and violent that we need watching. our property needs protecting etc. how bad are we going to be another 20yrs down the line?
Who cares if they have the right? They do.
I like CCTV, it makes me feel safer. It makes the street safer because it deters crime.
Of course because I work in a pub and don't wish to serve underaged kids. Also it's faster and easier for an already shite police.
God change the record. I don't like Blair either but the scenarios you suggest would fit in beautifully in a Tom Clancy novel. :rolleyes:
Consider how much information the government currently possesses on you at the moment, they know where you live through council tax payments, they know where you attended school, they know your medical record, they know how much you earn, they know your criminal record, they can find out your credit rating, they can monitor your movements through CCTV, they can have it arranged that MI5 tap your phones, check your letters and e-mails and tail you 24 hours a day. They also already possess several million people's DNA on record. Yet I don't see these people being shoved in the back of cars by men in black leather trenchcoats do you? Nor does this seem to happen in other EU countries where they have ID cards. Fact is if Blair is so intent on creating a police state as you suggest he could do it with the information he already has available.
To be honest, I'd like to think the Prime Minister has slightly more important things to do than "screwing you over big time".
Could you provide a source for that claim that it will cost three times more than the £39 suggested? I think you may be taking the costs of the introduction, which would indeed be large, and adding them onto the cost of the cards. I think the costs for the introduction will come from tax revenues but I'd be interested to hear if you'd heard otherwise.
An ID card would aid identification because I imagine most people would carry it on their person all the time anyway as it would be handy for day-to-day tasks, I imagine that when it's introduced banks for example will ask for ID cards when you pay them a visit. Hence while it won't be compulsory I imagine it would be useful enough for it to be carried on the person all the time also I don't think most people would want the hassle of having to go to the police station within three days if they didn't have it on their person. So in effect although it wouldn't be compulsory there would be a sort of voluntary compulsion to carry it.
Did you not read what I said earlier? It is not compulsory to own a passport, I'm sure millions of people don't have one. It is not compulsory to have a driving licence - in fact I'd suspect that most underage drinkers wouldn't have a driving licence. Therefore these people are without means to identify themselves hence what is needed is a national identity card - exactly what is being proposed.
Its very difficult to live without one, even if you don't go abroad. Its nearly impossible to get a bank account without a drivers licence or passport. Its nearly impossible to get a job without a bank account.
An voluntary ID card, would become de facto compulsory.
precisely why I believe there should be an ID card
Exactly what I said in my posts, I don't have a problem with that in fact isn't a bit stupid to have ID cards if they aren't compulsory, de facto or otherwise, if you could carry on without them they lack all purpose.
Last time I had a passport was one of the yearly ones approx 9 years ago, Ive managed fine without one. Oh I also only own a provisional driving license which is no good as proof of I.D. If I need some I.D all I need to show is my visa card or a recent bill which has my home address or Child benefit book
.