Pixelated Semantics

A schizotypical inventory

UK Minister admits ID cards useless against terror

Serious questions over the use and usefullness of ID cards are emerging from the UK and Europe. Plans to use RFID chips and PIN numbers in the UK cards have extremely significant privacy ramifications (including the ability to track movements comprehensively). The UK's Home Office minister also has admitted that

"Perhaps in the past the government, in its enthusiasm, oversold the advantages of identity cards. We did suggest, or at least implied, that they may well be a panacea for identity fraud, for benefit fraud, terrorism, entitlement and access to public services... Perhaps we ran away with our own enthusiasm... It will help where fraud and abuse of identity is part of the equation. It will help in the development of some - but not all - strategies to combat identity fraud, serious crime and terrorism"

The key statement is that while a card "may help" with problems like terrorism and fraud, an identity card "is not going to solve any one of them". However, expect the Australian government to push ahead with plans for one regardless: though terrorism is not just Islamic, and usually political rather than ideological, our government prefers to maintain an image of "strength" (which in practise is simply disrespect for human rights) over common sense realisations that ID cards, surveillance, and legislation are not going to defeat "enemies" they seem to encourage.

Item posted by AutoEditor at 9:53 am ::