I took part in the biometric trials for the new ID card - it took 10 minutes (well, OK, 15 if you count the chat about what the machines would do) and have now got my own (useless) demonstration ID card - complete with chip containing my fingerprints (no black ink which was a HUGE disappointment), facial characteristics and iris imprint (oh, forgot about date of birth, signature, gender and postcode). Luckily there was no match with anything already on the database!!
It was a painless and clean process - not much human intervention and the software was most impressive!
The questionnaire which I had to complete afterwards asked about my opinion of the proposed ID card - I have no qualms about it and would happily carry it if it were introduced.
I'd be interested to hear the views of others - for and against.
Join the most popular community of UK swingers now
Login
Biometric ID cards
Orgasminator
Having lived in places where an ID card (or passport) was required, I have no problems with ID cards per se.
The problem I have is that it won't serve the purpose it is being "sold" to us for. To give you some idea of the problems please see this extremely long article:
Everything you never wanted to know about the UK ID card :sleeping:
and the Consultation Document in PDF format here:
Consultation Document :small-print:
Note: These two links are stronger than Mogadon!
The problem I have is that it won't serve the purpose it is being "sold" to us for. To give you some idea of the problems please see this extremely long article:
Everything you never wanted to know about the UK ID card :sleeping:
and the Consultation Document in PDF format here:
Consultation Document :small-print:
Note: These two links are stronger than Mogadon!
More than happy to carry one as long as they don't become commercialised. The amount of information you can put into that chip is enormous. You can bet your life that all the big banks, financial organisations, supermarkets etc will all be trying to exploit them in some way. There's no end to the amount of databases you could end up in.
How many people have got a storecard? If you're a regular shopper at these stores they know how many there are in your household, whether you've got young children, which beer you drink, whether you're bald/grey, how often your period is, and far more. All this information is used to decide your income, your lifestyle, your social habits and is probably sold on to the junk mailers so that they can target their audience better. I'm sure they have other uses too.
Steve
How many people have got a storecard? If you're a regular shopper at these stores they know how many there are in your household, whether you've got young children, which beer you drink, whether you're bald/grey, how often your period is, and far more. All this information is used to decide your income, your lifestyle, your social habits and is probably sold on to the junk mailers so that they can target their audience better. I'm sure they have other uses too.
Steve
Sex God
Quote by Sgt Bilko
I don't mind carrying an ID Card. I object to having to pay for one though!!!:x :x :x :x
Inevitable mate.
They're coming (whether we want them or not 'cos Mr "I know what's best for the masses" Blaire has decided so.
We'll either end up paying for them outright or as a tax hike, probably with a few extra percent added on.
Beginning to thike Guy Fawks had the right idea :idea:
Remember that people carried ID cards all during the wars. It's also got a lot to do with personal safety security - I've got a friend who had her ID stolen and she had a really difficult time - over about 2 years - with loan companies, banks, credit card companies, police and others - to regain her ID. Something which is signed is useless.
For a while my bank guarantee card/debit card had my signature scanned in - but over the course of the life of the card my signature changed quite a bit ( I sign it a lot and got very careless about it) so eventually it was worthless.
I don't have a worry - and even if the Tories brought it in ( ) I would have to think it about apolitically.
Cost is a factor - but HOW much does a passport cost these days? And the driving licence? (Mine is still a tatty piece of pink and green paper). And what about those who haven't got a passport or driving licence? Youngsters these days get a NI card with their name and NI number on, I haven't got one.
What I do have is:
Passport
Driving licence
National Health card - somewhere
ID card for work purposes which I have to wear all day
Library card - local authority
Library card - university
Assorted supermarket/store reward cards
etc etc etc!
Recently I had to replace one registration plate on my car - it was a NIGHTMARE to do!! It's easier to buy a new car than to get a number plate. It took me three trips to Halfords and about 3 or 4 different pieces of ID. The most difficult one was a utility bill with my address on but I do all of my bill paying online so don't get things like BT bills! An ID card would have been perfect, along with the registration document for the car.
Lots of pros and cons... but my vote is 'for'.
For a while my bank guarantee card/debit card had my signature scanned in - but over the course of the life of the card my signature changed quite a bit ( I sign it a lot and got very careless about it) so eventually it was worthless.
I don't have a worry - and even if the Tories brought it in (
) I would have to think it about apolitically. Cost is a factor - but HOW much does a passport cost these days? And the driving licence? (Mine is still a tatty piece of pink and green paper). And what about those who haven't got a passport or driving licence? Youngsters these days get a NI card with their name and NI number on, I haven't got one.
What I do have is:
Passport
Driving licence
National Health card - somewhere
ID card for work purposes which I have to wear all day
Library card - local authority
Library card - university
Assorted supermarket/store reward cards
etc etc etc!
Recently I had to replace one registration plate on my car - it was a NIGHTMARE to do!! It's easier to buy a new car than to get a number plate. It took me three trips to Halfords and about 3 or 4 different pieces of ID. The most difficult one was a utility bill with my address on but I do all of my bill paying online so don't get things like BT bills! An ID card would have been perfect, along with the registration document for the car.
Lots of pros and cons... but my vote is 'for'.
jags,
as a member of the armed forces, i agree with the principal of ID cards, but, i do think that they are being 'sold'(?) to us in the wrong way... if it is going to become compulsory, then why should we pay for them?
also id cards are not a way of combatting terrorism - look at spain, they have id cards....
but, like you say, they would be useful for things, eg. cutting down on benefit fraud, illegal immigrants, etc....
so yes in principal, but the jury's still out for sure.... :?
as a member of the armed forces, i agree with the principal of ID cards, but, i do think that they are being 'sold'(?) to us in the wrong way... if it is going to become compulsory, then why should we pay for them?
also id cards are not a way of combatting terrorism - look at spain, they have id cards....
but, like you say, they would be useful for things, eg. cutting down on benefit fraud, illegal immigrants, etc....
so yes in principal, but the jury's still out for sure.... :?
The debate surrounding ID cards has been going on for years and years and years! Don't think we're being sold it... maybe being force fed the sound reasons for it 
I do know and understand the fears of others but, the simple thing is, if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear. In many other countries it's commonplace, everyday, non-threatening and useful.
If the requirements changed to force registration of ethnic background, religion or sexual orientation then I would start to worry. This sort of information could 'compartmentalize' people and make easy the ghettoization of particular groups of people.
I do know and understand the fears of others but, the simple thing is, if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear. In many other countries it's commonplace, everyday, non-threatening and useful.
If the requirements changed to force registration of ethnic background, religion or sexual orientation then I would start to worry. This sort of information could 'compartmentalize' people and make easy the ghettoization of particular groups of people.
As another who has spent most of his life with an ID card anyway, even as a child, I have no in-bred fear or distrust of ID cards. Looking at countries where this type of "smart" ID card is standard already, I can also see the positive social benefits of these cards.
There is a risk of assumptions being made about personal information - I come from a long line of servicemen, and many of my family were born in strange and exotic locations. This occasionally led to questions during my Army career about my ethnic origins - and suspicion that I was trying to hide something about those origins.
It was not that anyone really minded what my roots were - it was just that the information that was held on file about me made it appear that I was not being honest, and it was that apparent dishonesty that worried the paper shufflers.
This, I believe, is the true risk of electronic information - just look at the problems we have on this site with assumptions and presumptions.
I am firmly in favour of a national ID card scheme - I also know that the scheme will be completly FUBA first time around, and it will take years before it is running smoothly. If for no other reason than half the country will deliberately be trying to expose flaws in the system, supported by the media who will just love the juicy stories that will come out.
If/when it eventually becomes a reality - it will not be a pleasant experience, there will be many positive benfits, but also some horrendous mis-carraiges of justice!
Perhaps it would be more effective if everyone had an identity number tatooed on them at birth!
lhk
Kat
There is a risk of assumptions being made about personal information - I come from a long line of servicemen, and many of my family were born in strange and exotic locations. This occasionally led to questions during my Army career about my ethnic origins - and suspicion that I was trying to hide something about those origins.
It was not that anyone really minded what my roots were - it was just that the information that was held on file about me made it appear that I was not being honest, and it was that apparent dishonesty that worried the paper shufflers.
This, I believe, is the true risk of electronic information - just look at the problems we have on this site with assumptions and presumptions.
I am firmly in favour of a national ID card scheme - I also know that the scheme will be completly FUBA first time around, and it will take years before it is running smoothly. If for no other reason than half the country will deliberately be trying to expose flaws in the system, supported by the media who will just love the juicy stories that will come out.
If/when it eventually becomes a reality - it will not be a pleasant experience, there will be many positive benfits, but also some horrendous mis-carraiges of justice!
Perhaps it would be more effective if everyone had an identity number tatooed on them at birth!
lhk
Kat
Whilst I was being 'done' the chap working the machine explained that the sytem searches for matches of fingerprints and irises - they are expecting members of the press to attempt to get through the system by registering under different names in different trial areas. If there is a match on either prints or irises then the person has been before!
The iris is, so I am told, more accurate than prints which could be affected by one's job!
I too have an Army background and wasn't born in this country, and it has caused me no end of hassle. My brother has fared worse cos of Maggie Thatcher's immigration laws and it now means that he had to use a different channel to his children when they travel together. He was a UK citizen but couldn't pass on his 'Britishness' to his children cos he wasn't born in Britain. The law says that he and I are only British cos our father was, even though we were born in BAOR, and we can't pass on our nationality to our children. He took great umbrage and became Australian to join his children. My problem was more easily solved!!
That's a bit off thread - but shows up the complications around people and their ID everywhere.
The iris is, so I am told, more accurate than prints which could be affected by one's job!
I too have an Army background and wasn't born in this country, and it has caused me no end of hassle. My brother has fared worse cos of Maggie Thatcher's immigration laws and it now means that he had to use a different channel to his children when they travel together. He was a UK citizen but couldn't pass on his 'Britishness' to his children cos he wasn't born in Britain. The law says that he and I are only British cos our father was, even though we were born in BAOR, and we can't pass on our nationality to our children. He took great umbrage and became Australian to join his children. My problem was more easily solved!!
That's a bit off thread - but shows up the complications around people and their ID everywhere.
