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Resist the UK ID Card

yozzee | 24.06.2004 00:51 | Social Struggles | Technology

With 16% saying they would participate in a campaign of civil disobedience, which would equate to around 2.8 million people. One million would be prepared to to go to prison rather than register for the card. Will the state risk another popular revolt along the lines of the poll tax one, but even bigger this time?

Despite growing opposition the government still seem hell bent on introducing a national identity card scheme in the UK. Pilot schemes are taking place now withthout any attempt to explain just how the ID card would be used in the future. A proposed pilot scheme in April (2004) had to be cancelled as it became apparent that the technology being used was flawed. Biometric information will be the technological basis for the ID scheme. Retinal scanning and fingerprinting are expected to be the main forms of biometric information.

However resistance to ID cards and the national or European wide database needed to store all our biometric information is growing. In a recent survey conducted by research company YouGov up to five million people (28%) would take to the streets to demonstrate against ID cards. With 16% saying they would participate in a campaign of civil disobedience, which would equate to around 2.8 million people. One million would be prepared to to go to prison rather than register for the card. Will the state risk another popular revolt along the lines of the poll tax one, but even bigger this time?

Civil rights groups like Privacy International who commissioned the survey believe that the whole ID card scheme could be scuppered by the amount of growing resistance to it. Other people are taking no chances as campaign and resistance groups like Defy-ID and No2ID begin to mobilise against the scheme. If the invasion of privacy by the state demanding and storing our personal biometric information isn't enough, if the thought of being asked for your papers/ID when you walk down the street isn't enough, imagine what use the information could be put to in the future if fascist groups like the BNP ever got their hands on the database!

For an in depth explanation of all the issues I recommend  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/05/complete_idcard_guide/.

If you're interested in the low key consultation process taking place at the moment you can make your views known to the government by sending an email with 'consultation process' in the subject window to:  identitycards@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk or fax it on +44 (0)20 7035 5386. The deadline for consultation is July 20th 2004.

yozzee
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Comments

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Why would you bother about the BNP....

24.06.2004 23:31

... when perfectly formed Fascist groups like New Labour and the Conservatives have got their hands on the database already?

dh


ID card consultation - Again?

25.06.2004 07:53

Sorry but I tried this before via the www.Stand.org.uk website a while ago. The government completely ignored the responses and spun the numbers in their favour.

Tried writing to MPs over the Iraq war also and that was ignored as well.

Brian B


www.defy-id.org.uk

25.06.2004 09:03

.

that's it


even government advisers are worried

25.06.2004 15:01

it wasnt really picked up on a few weeks ago but at one of these parliamentary select committee things, a chief adviser on ID cards expressed his growing alarm with the proposals.
seems to me that just too many things are happening just now in blatant disregard for enlightened (#) public opinion. how come these policies just drift past us like phantoms ? who is behind it all ? it can only be the corporate bush-cheney orientated USA.

(#) i do not include the rise of anti- EU sentiment expressed through UKIP. this is a classic case of UNenlightened reaction; if people applied the same critique against USA corruption, we might be out of NATO by now. as it is, I suspect UKIP to be another aspect of the USA takeover of GB.

worried


A few points

25.06.2004 21:53

dh I mentioned the fascists because they represent a worst case scenario. I appreciate that for some people the current US/UK coalition is the worst scenario. I think it can get even worse if we allow it to through apathy. The idea of a national ID card goes back years but now the state believes it can use biometric technology to achieve the aim of cataloguing each and every citizen.

Brian B I agree about the consultation process but perhaps us cynics need to see it as a necessary first step to building a mass movement against the ID scheme. No2ID -  http://www.no2id.net and particularly Defy-ID -  http://www.defy-id.org.uk have a more proactive approach that will no doubt increase in the future.

Worried you're right there has been a dangerous lurch towards things being forced upon us without any explanation. We need to say no it's not alright for the state to do these things without our consent or to insult our intelligence by insisting that removal of our freedoms is for our own good.

The Australian government tried to force through a similar ID scheme in the late 1980's. Faced with a popular movement of direct action and civil disobedience they were forced to withdraw the scheme.

yozzee
mail e-mail: info@yozzee.com
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