Identity cards 'could be used to spy on people'
The compulsory identity card could be used to carry out surveillance on people, MPs warned today. Members of the Home Affairs Select Committee said it was concerned that the way the authorities use sensitive data gathered in the multi-billion pound programme could "creep" to include spying. The all-party committee also urged ministers to make plans on how to deal with the theft of personal details from the National Identity Scheme, which will build a massive database on every person over 16 in Britain. <snip> "We are concerned ... about the potential for 'function creep' in terms of the surveillance potential of the National Identity Scheme," the report said. "Any ambiguity about the objectives of the scheme puts in jeopardy the public's trust in the scheme itself and in the Government's ability to run it. <snip> Referring to last year's child benefit disks scandal, it said: "Recent data loss incidents have involved failures not of technology but of policy in that those who had access to the information in question did not observe proper procedures for the handling and sharing of data. "The minister's assurances that the Government has learned lessons, though welcome, are not sufficient to reassure us or, we suspect, the public." <snip> http://tinyurl.com/5ungnj ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh, this lot are fast.
The compulsory identity card could be used to carry out surveillance on people, MPs warned today. Members of the Home Affairs Select Committee said it was concerned that the way the authorities use sensitive data gathered in the multi-billion pound programme could "creep" to include spying. The all-party committee also urged ministers to make plans on how to deal with the theft of personal details from the National Identity Scheme, which will build a massive database on every person over 16 in Britain. <snip> "We are concerned ... about the potential for 'function creep' in terms of the surveillance potential of the National Identity Scheme," the report said. "Any ambiguity about the objectives of the scheme puts in jeopardy the public's trust in the scheme itself and in the Government's ability to run it. <snip> Referring to last year's child benefit disks scandal, it said: "Recent data loss incidents have involved failures not of technology but of policy in that those who had access to the information in question did not observe proper procedures for the handling and sharing of data. "The minister's assurances that the Government has learned lessons, though welcome, are not sufficient to reassure us or, we suspect, the public." <snip> http://tinyurl.com/5ungnj ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh, this lot are fast.