h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks for the URL Potholer, the related links make interesting reading.
There seems to be no doubt that the ID Card will come in through the front door.
All indications are it will carry a photograph linked to iris recognition. That's all that's needed to establish a true personal identity (ie a modern day replacement of the birth certificate). I wonder what form of inducement (monetary or otherwise) will be invented to smooth it's acceptance. Let's hope that when it is introduced it is used wisely and effectively.
The debate moves on to a higher level. I rest my case.

And it's wise to have such high-level identity? Doesn't it scare you in the least?

No ..

It scares me that people are so worried about it. It says something about our society today that they would rather keep their anonymity than aid the authorities with cutting down on crime.

Mel

Goverments haven't exactly showed much in the way of ethics and efficiency have they?

I found the link about biometric scanners quite interesting. Seems most of them could be fooled using really simple techniques. Invite your boss over for dinner, take his fingerprint off the glass and voila, you have access to his safe.

Well said Mel..

I agree with Mel as well.

Also, Xanatic, I don't think that getting the boss's fingerprints off a glass is still a bit too far-fetched and not that easily done.

Which is another reason for suggesting iris scanners, 'here sir let me just take a close up photo of your eye that you use to access all your security details'

Have had a go with them when they were in the dome, they were a little unreliable but then all new technology is!

Mel

What's wrong with them? Well its yet another thing to have to lug around with you and lose at the most inopportune moment. Will replacement cards be free? Yeah, right!

Lifting fingerprints from smooth surfaces such as glass is easy - anyone with a little knowledge and a few minutes to spare can do it.

There is currently no such thing as a secure computer system as numerous security crackers regularly prove (ditto with hackers but they do it for malicious reasons) - so how do we stop the technologically aware and capable from perpetrating identity theft - its already happening in the USA (a number of people have been prosecuted for the crime of identity theft).

Everyone has a price - the only person I trust to keep my identity secure is me! I certainly dont trust underpaid and overworked civil servants.

I do not believe that our government is malign or would use identity cards for any particularly untowards purposes - however I do believe that they, the civil service and its structures, the police etc. are institutionally incompetent as well as on the whole being institutionally racist, homophobic and sexist.

Yes you are right our privacy is constantly being invaded, by the likes of CCTV systems, in the name of crime prevention - but given the latest crime stats has it worked? or has it just moved crime to areas where there are no CCTV systems? how would ID cards stop street crime? would the mugger hacve to show you and the CCTV cameras their ID before they committed the robbery?

We also allow our privacy to be invaded, in a sense, by the suppliers of electronic payment systems (debit and credit cards, online banking etc.), our mobile phone company - oh yes why did the government want to have access to ALL our phone records without a warrant?

No I am not paranoid

I dont think they are out to get me.

I however do want a restoration of the balance between the privacy of the individual and the needs of society to know who I am.

Sorry - I'll try to redirect you...
Definition - Fear of passports. ?

Correction - Its my age you know..
Definition - Fear of ID Cards.

Definition :- An excessive enthusiasm in the belief that - "the civil service and its structures, the police etc. are institutionally incompetent as well as on the whole being institutionally racist, homophobic and sexist."

So AB its down to petty childish insult time then.

the Mcpherson (sp?) report clearly indicated that the police are racist, nothing that i have seen in the last 40 years has convinced that the other organs of the state are any different.

Of course in your infinite wisdom you may know better so please enlighten us rather than dish out petty and frankly feeble insults.

No offence meant only trying to help.
The point that I have been trying to make since posting 1 is that I believe people would carry an ID Card given the right inducement.

Re-Rossmania
I have a tendancy towards it myself. Hoever I also happen to believe that having a personal identity that I could prove beyond doubt would go long way to relieve it. Unfortunately you don't seem to agree, so you must find your own solution to your problem.
Please treat Rossmania as a means to that end...

When I got a credit card some years ago, I had to give them a photo of me, and it ended up on the credit card. I am amazed that not all credit cards have that. It would not prevent fraud, but certainly there would be less stealing of them.

However, does anyone have a good idea for a safe ID card system then?

*looks over at AncientBrit*

*Gives fords a *

If there were a fool proof secure system it would currently be in use, but at the moment I believe the system people are discussing introducing has to be more secure than the current one, improvements on the current system are the only way we will ever reach the perfect system.

Don't think it will be safer..... I can copy my mums signature well enough to use her visa (if I were corrupt enough) I wouldn't know where to start with faking an iris scan or even for that matter the bog standard fingerprint, let alone make myself look like her photo. Even if it did only eliminate the opportunist credit card fraud it is a step in the right direction.

Mel

Well, the iris and the fingerprints will probably be on the card in a digital form. And we all know how easy it is to copy that. So would that be any security?

I thought the smartcard would hold an encrypted ID number which when linked to (for example) the banks database would pull up your scan to be compared to the one you provide.

Therefore the banks database would need to be hacked (not impossible I know, they already do it everyday!) Or the details on your card would need to be altered which would just link it to someone elses accounts... therefore not your problem.

Mel