According to the BBC, the UK has a new ID card in the works. Though this isn’t new or recent, what is recent is as to what information is to be put on there as far as being able to identify a person. As far as the US goes, we have state drivers license and ID cards already. The difference between what we have and what the UK wants is putting privacy information such as fingerprints and to go as far as eye scans. This would be the “National Identity Scheme” and would be the official form of ID in the country.
From the article:
The committee said it accepted the government’s assurance that the scheme would not be used as a surveillance tool.
However, “we seek the further assurance that any initiative to broaden the scope of the scheme will only be proposed after consulting the information commissioner and on the basis that proposals will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny in draft form,” it said.
Committee chairman Keith Vaz said there could be “potentially disastrous consequences” if data was mishandled.
I don’t know about you, but if I was Nationalized in the UK, I would definitely oppose this. With the technology today and the knowledge on how to use and abuse it, it would only be a matter of time before that information is in the wrong hands being thrown across the globe leading to massive identity theft. You pay someone enough money and they’ll risk themselves for a portion of the pot made from the theft.
Though this idea is for the UK and not the US is that if this does work out, more than likely the US will try to adapt this. The US has no intentions to start anything as of yet due to security risks posed after 9/11. What is troubling me the most is that the society we live in could very well turn into a real life “V for Vendetta” knowing that the government knows everything about you. Yes, it will be guarded with the highest sense of security available, but you have someone like Timothy Olyphant’s character in “Live Free or Die Hard” and it is successfully pulled off, you have a recipe for disaster.
We’re already going that same route…check out USAID. Some states are still trying to fight it, so let’s hope they’re successful.