ID cards in the UK (or anywhere) - what do you think?
I've never started a thread before (except for Sloganizer!)! But I wondered what people think about ID cards?
What about those of you in countries where you already have ID cards; from your experiences what do you find to be the pros and cons? How do you think the proposed ID cards in the UK would differ from those used in your country? (It seems that there is planned to be quite a lot of detail on them...)
Do you have different views on ID cards containing biometric data then just the 'normal' ones?
Personally, I have a gut reaction against ID cards. The very thought of them being made compulsory makes me instinctively say, "No way! I'm not getting one! I will leave the country first!" Partly this is just because of my personality... I know it is... I keep trying to quash it and think about it rationally, but for once I've found myself unable to. My hackles just rise and will not go down!
But that's just me. One guaranteed way of getting me to do something is to tell me to do the opposite.
What do you feel? And what do you think?
I read the news in the papers, but here is something from the BBC website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4711178.stm
On a slightly more technical note, I think the security of the central database would be incredibly hard to maintain; one database with thousands of access points? Meaning thousands of weak points! Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
We all know what happens when bureaucracy and admin procedures go even slightly out of kilter. Imagine the knock-on effect that could happen if there was to become some error or quirk of your ID card...
Sometimes people say, "You should be OK with it, if you have nothing to hide", which is a fair enough argument, but it doesn't convince me.
*desperately tries to pretend she has nothing to hide* XDD
I've never started a thread before (except for Sloganizer!)! But I wondered what people think about ID cards?
What about those of you in countries where you already have ID cards; from your experiences what do you find to be the pros and cons? How do you think the proposed ID cards in the UK would differ from those used in your country? (It seems that there is planned to be quite a lot of detail on them...)
Do you have different views on ID cards containing biometric data then just the 'normal' ones?
Personally, I have a gut reaction against ID cards. The very thought of them being made compulsory makes me instinctively say, "No way! I'm not getting one! I will leave the country first!" Partly this is just because of my personality... I know it is... I keep trying to quash it and think about it rationally, but for once I've found myself unable to. My hackles just rise and will not go down!
But that's just me. One guaranteed way of getting me to do something is to tell me to do the opposite.
What do you feel? And what do you think?
I read the news in the papers, but here is something from the BBC website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4711178.stm
On a slightly more technical note, I think the security of the central database would be incredibly hard to maintain; one database with thousands of access points? Meaning thousands of weak points! Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
We all know what happens when bureaucracy and admin procedures go even slightly out of kilter. Imagine the knock-on effect that could happen if there was to become some error or quirk of your ID card...
Sometimes people say, "You should be OK with it, if you have nothing to hide", which is a fair enough argument, but it doesn't convince me.
*desperately tries to pretend she has nothing to hide* XDD