What Has Britain Become Under Bliar?

[eddiea1]

Privacy means the right to be left alone

By Ian Cook

Imagine a world without privacy. Where you go, what you do there, and what you buy can all be constantly tracked via what you carry, wear, drive or spend. In this world your personal information can even be implanted somewhere about your person for "authorities" to read and interpret.

With hardly a public fanfare, this world is now being created using RFID technology.

RFID stands for "radio frequency identification" and works by "tagging" an object with a computer chip containing information and a unique number. RFID reader antennae then send electromagnetic pulses that cause any in-range RFID tags to respond by beaming back the information stored.

More RFID trials have been run in the UK than anywhere else in Europe and the main use – so far – is in supply chain management and monitoring customers' choices and spending patterns. Unsurprisingly, the microscopic devices are proving popular with retailers. But they comprise just one of a number of privacy-threatening technologies.

The UK already has more CCTV cameras than any nation in the world, filming the average person 300 times each day. Updated, these cameras will read car number plates, recognise faces and then store our every movement in a database whether we commit an offence or not.

Satellite based "tag and beacon" road pricing technology will supplant rudimentary congestion charging systems so that our vehicles can be pinpointed even when we drive miles from the nearest CCTV camera.

Travel cards such as London's RFID-based Oyster not only simplify ticketing but provide exact and timed records of our journeys.

The majority of us carry mobile phones that can be used to pinpoint our location, track us and listen to our conversations.

And satellites are photographing our homes to detect improvements that could push up our council taxes.

Internet service providers have been forced to install remote controlled black boxes that, when activated, pass our data to the security services. We in turn are legally obliged to surrender passwords and encryption keys when asked.

In 1997 there were 1,712 warrants allowing phone taps. By 2003 this had shot up to 4,827.

The UK currently has one of the world's largest DNA databases where our genetic signatures are logged if we are arrested – even if no prosecution follows.

Health services are compiling centralised databases of our medical histories that disclose intimate particulars to those who want to monitor our lives.

Identity cards – essential, we're told, to fight terrorism, fraud and organised crime – are being designed to hold more than 50 pieces of information about the bearer, including fingerprints, iris patterns and face recognition.

And the real threat to our civil liberties is that all the databases containing our personal details are intended to be linked so that the full stories of our lives can be recovered and reviewed remotely from a central point.

So how did we become lulled into accepting technologies that rob us of our privacy? Just as a stage magician deftly directs your attention toward one hand so that you don't see what his other one is doing, we have been LED to debate the right "balance" between liberty and security. The implication being that we cannot have more of one without having less of the other. With each loss of privacy we are told the information will be used only in extremis in the national interest.

In 1985, summing up the case against Clive Ponting for leaking to Tam Dalyell MP the secrets of the sinking of the Argentine warship Belgrano during the Falklands conflict, a judge said that the interests of the state were none other than the interests of the party in power at the time.

Luckily, said some – perversely, said others – Mr Ponting's jury disagreed.

But for the magician in government, only a little sleight of hand is needed to confuse national and political interests.

It's time we woke up to how far our civil rights are being eroded and started debating all this openly. In the words of Louis Brandeis: "Privacy is the right to be alone – the most comprehensive of rights, and the right most valued by civilised man."

[lelandv]

You think our rights and privacy is being invaded/eroded in the UK -- have a look at what's happening in the US with the Patriot Act and the new Patriot Act 2. The beginnings of the NWO and martial law.

So this is how liberty dies ... with thunderous applaus...

All hail Emperor Bush *eyeroll*

L.

[eddiea1]

You think our rights and privacy is being invaded/eroded in the UK -- have a look at what's happening in the US with the Patriot Act and the new Patriot Act 2. The beginnings of the NWO and martial law.

So this is how liberty dies ... with thunderous applaus...

All hail Emperor Bush *eyeroll*

L.

i was in the US a few weeks ago and I agree its ridiculous there. Basically people have given up their freedom to a bunch of morally corrupt imbeciles who think they can throw their weight about in the Middle East like thugs and criminals but at the same time expect things at home to be perfect.

You cant even buy a train ticket in the US without showing ID. I agree its much worse in the US than in the UK. At least in the UK we had the sense to put the brakes on the 90 day internment thing.

Overall though the behaviour of Britain and the US is basically a green light to any other country to abuse human rights.

And before anyone calls me a lefty I would like to say I have been a member of the tory party since I was 16. (that explains a lot right :winky: )

[lelandv]

Abraham Lincoln once said:

"Those who would sacrifice their freedoms in time of crisis do not deserve their freedoms in times of peace."

[Pip]

It like with this identity theft what they are hailing as a crisis, its been perpetuated just to push for the ID card. I for one am against it. i havent even got a driving photo licence, just the old paper one. They can stick it up their arse if they think i am giving over more private information than already is given to them.

Unfortunately the uk is only 5yrs behind the US so we will follow suit.

[eddiea1]

It like with this identity theft what they are hailing as a crisis, its been perpetuated just to push for the ID card. I for one am against it. i havent even got a driving photo licence, just the old paper one. They can stick it up their arse if they think i am giving over more private information than already is given to them.

Unfortunately the uk is only 5yrs behind the US so we will follow suit.

Agreed. We dont need the ID card. We dont need centralised databases. More money spent on police with more of them on the streets instead of being caught up in paperwork is what we need.

And we also need to get rid of Blair asap before he and his cronies destroy this country.

[MacRS200]

I got: -

Photo card licence (No choice had to change)

Passport

National Insurance Number

NHS number

Contract mobile phone

CIS card

CSCS Card

A car

3 Motorbikes

All of them have a unique link back to me. Out of that lot I can be tracked to a location by my phone and 3 organisations ( DVLA, Passport Office and the Inland Revenue) can provide pictures to positively ID me.

On top of that anyone with access to a credit reference agency can find out where I have lived for the last 10 years, any aliases I have used or if I have changed my name, anyone who lives or has lived at the same address as me apart from the other obvious use of the database.

I am well and truly logged on the system barring doing a "Reggie Perrin" for those old enough. I really don't see that a National ID card will make a lot of difference and be any more intrusive than the current situation.

[Rob]

u wont get on well in CH then, EVERYTHING is linked and all the systems are able to speak to each other flawlessly.

eg i recently got stopped at one of the border points ( taking a friend to the airport) scanned his passport, knew what time he came into the country, what flight in/out, his place of work etc. Your full details are available to anyone official at anytime.

yes it is a police state - but it has its good points, anyone that is in the country as an illegal has quite a high chance of being caught at some point, I prepare repat flights from zurich quite often and there is normally between 8- 12 "passengers" on their way out of the country - police state a good thing if u ask me.

[eddiea1]

u wont get on well in CH then, EVERYTHING is linked and all the systems are able to speak to each other flawlessly.

eg i recently got stopped at one of the border points ( taking a friend to the airport) scanned his passport, knew what time he came into the country, what flight in/out, his place of work etc. Your full details are available to anyone official at anytime.

yes it is a police state - but it has its good points, anyone that is in the country as an illegal has quite a high chance of being caught at some point, I prepare repat flights from zurich quite often and there is normally between 8- 12 "passengers" on their way out of the country - police state a good thing if u ask me.

Well I go to Switzerland quite a lot and I have to admit to being impressed by how efficient everything is there. Seamlessly talking systems is one thing, abuse of power is quite another!

[Pip]

And abuse of power we certainly have a problem with our law enforcement. We adhere to the practices of Due Process yet in a lot of instances the police are judge and jury. they are meant to keep this in mind but half the time they cant even spell it.

[eXOBeX]

You think our rights and privacy is being invaded/eroded in the UK -- have a look at what's happening in the US with the Patriot Act and the new Patriot Act 2. The beginnings of the NWO and martial law.

I bet Patriot Act 2 ain't as good as the first one. :P

[Rob]

u wont get on well in CH then, EVERYTHING is linked and all the systems are able to speak to each other flawlessly.

eg i recently got stopped at one of the border points ( taking a friend to the airport) scanned his passport, knew what time he came into the country, what flight in/out, his place of work etc. Your full details are available to anyone official at anytime.

yes it is a police state - but it has its good points, anyone that is in the country as an illegal has quite a high chance of being caught at some point, I prepare repat flights from zurich quite often and there is normally between 8- 12 "passengers" on their way out of the country - police state a good thing if u ask me.

Well I go to Switzerland quite a lot and I have to admit to being impressed by how efficient everything is there. Seamlessly talking systems is one thing, abuse of power is quite another!

yes everything runs perfectly and on time- it the train or tram is 30 secs late people complain - seems excesive but if that is the system you soon get used to it- i know i have. where do u go in CH BTW?

[oldcro]

During WW2 everybody had to carry I.D. cards, including babies because there was a real and accepted national threat. Unfortuneatly there is still a national threat as events like the London bombing prove. Now if there is the slightest chance that carrying an I.D. card and being filmed while shopping could stop such carnage, I for one would be proud to carry an I.D. card.

There would be no CCTV cameras if there were no thieves, muggers, fights etc. on city streets. They are there to make the streets safer for everyone, not a playground for drunks to show how tough they are by half killing some poor passer-by. A friend of mine had his skull fractured by a drunk with a piece of 4 by 2 and has got clean away with it. There were no CCTV cameras in the area which could have identified the culprit. They can film me as much ad they like when going about my business if it helps stop crime. injury and sometimes death to someone.

oldun

[Pip]

There would be CCTV even if there was no crime as the government are nosy bastards by nature. They want to know how many times you wipe your arse and if you wipe at all.

Industry and economy require spying on the consumer to benefit them.

[Anything]

Does that mean Lexus are out to get us with their RFID Technology? :)

[Lexmas]

You do know of course there is no law of privacy in the UK. There is no law protecting an individuals right to privacy in English law. Case closed.

[eddiea1]

You do know of course there is no law of privacy in the UK. There is no law protecting an individuals right to privacy in English law. Case closed.

more like "Case Open"?? :winky:

[Anything]

Not exactly on the same track but does anyone have any pictures of the new lexus "Smartkey"

[Lexmas]

You do know of course there is no law of privacy in the UK. There is no law protecting an individuals right to privacy in English law. Case closed.

more like "Case Open"?? :winky:

Well indeed - As the Douglas' found to their cost! :winky: