SlaveNo???
08-08-2007, 02:46 PM
"This is unacceptable. A school would never dream of taking children on a school trip without consent, but collecting their fingerprints is not subject to the same safeguards."
(This is WITHOUT asking for parents permission.)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...icle_id=470344
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: THEY'RE COMING FOR YOUR KIDS ---SAY NO 2 ID
NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 77 - 2nd August 2007
Contacting us: Call or email the office - 020-7793-4005 or (office@no2id.net).
THEY'RE COMING FOR YOUR KIDS
In the rush of announcements and over 40 written statements put out in the final days of the Parliamentary session, you may not have noticed that the government has given the final go-ahead for ContactPoint - the database formerly known as the Children's IS Index.
Like the National Identity Register - the linked databases at the heart of the ID cards scheme - ContactPoint will contain significant amounts of personal information ON EVERY CHILD IN THE UK. Over 300,000 people will have access to the system, which is intended to be up and running by next year. We understand that the details of celebrities' and public figures' children may be kept hidden, a two-tier privacy policy that demonstrates the very real security risks such a system introduces.
Each child will be given an ID number, and their record will contain details about their parents, doctor, health visitor, midwife and/or school nurse, school and/or college, services they have accessed - specifically flagging up vulnerable children who have accessed "sensitive services", e.g. to do with sexual or mental health - and a link to a new social services assessment, the eCAF*. Far from reducing risks to children, child protection specialists have expressed alarm that practitioners will be so overwhelmed with low-level data about all 11 million children in the country that those at risk of harm will in fact be less likely to be noticed.
Did you know that from 2008 the government will be monitoring YOUR child from birth? Plenty of questions remain unanswered: why put every child in the country on a database that less than half will ever need? Why spend all this money rather than investing in much-needed children's services? Why should a politician's children get greater protection than your son/daughter/nephew/granddaughter?
Tell your family and friends. Wake people up now. Write to your MP and your local paper's letters page. The ID scheme may be slipping, but the government's surveillance and data-sharing agenda is gathering pace. And first they're coming for your kids.
--
* For more detail on ContactPoint, eCAF and the growing surveillance of children, we highly recommend Action on Rights for Children's blog and particularly ARCH's Database Masterclass: http://archrights.wordpress.com/
What's next?
Local groups news
We have local groups all over the country and in 36 of the 69 locations of ID interrogation centres. If you can help to set up a local group in one of the remaining towns then please contact us at (office@no2id.net). A full list of local groups can be found at www.no2id.net/localGroups
Kensington and Chelsea NO2ID mugs
Kensington & Chelsea NO2ID once again have some mugs sporting the NO2ID logo. The mugs are available by mail order for just £7 or £4 in person with a reduction for bulk purchases i.e. (4 or more) to £3. Contact kensington@no2id.net for more details of how to order.
Manchester NO2ID calls for "Students against ID" volunteers
Manchester NO2ID are still looking for people interested in helping with a Students Against ID society in the next academic year. If you're at all interested, whether you'd be prepared to shoulder the responsibility yourself or just help someone else out, please drop an e-mail to manchester@no2id.net
Still showing - "Taking Liberties" documentary film featuring NO2ID at cinemas around the country
The documentary which features NO2ID is still showing at cinemas across the UK. The film is described as "a shocking but hilarious polemic documentary that charts the destruction of all your Basic Liberties under 10 Years of New Labour". More info at http://www.noliberties.com/cinema.htm
Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop by for a chat. New volunteers - please contact John(edinburgh@no2id.net), and for more group information see http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/
Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow Street Stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please contact Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow@no2id.net.
7th and 21st August - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting
Tuesday 7th and 21st August, our regular fortnightly meeting at 8pm in Mono. All welcome. Map: http://www.glasgow-no2id.org.uk/meeting.html
11th August - NO2ID Manchester Street Stall
Saturday, 11th August 1-3pm - we'll be running a Saturday afternoon stall in St. Anne's Square. We'll meet in the square itself at 1pm to set up shop. Feel free to join us to lend a hand or just chat. You don't need any experience or equipment, just a bit of time to spare and a friendly smile!
15th August - Manchester NO2ID Meeting
Wednesday, 15th August 7-9pm - Manchester NO2ID will be holding our monthly meeting in the upstairs function room of the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, Manchester. Sadly, this venue is not wheelchair-accessible, please contact us if you have accessibility needs.The Town Hall Tavern serves reasonably-priced, good quality food until 8pm so you don't need to pop home for tea - you can even order your meal brought up to the function room.
8th September - Cambridge NO2ID at the Cherry Hinton Festival
Saturday, 8th September - Cambridge NO2ID will have a stall at the Cherry Hinton Festival (http://www.cherryhintonfestival.co.uk/). Volunteers to help man the stall and distribute NO2ID literature, car stickers and badges very welcome. Contact Alex or Andrew at cambridge@no2id.net.
What just happened?
Remote ID bureaucrats stick a pin in the map
Many thanks to all of the supporters who have contacted us since last week's appeal for information about the ID interrogation centres around the country. Ian Cowling in Devon told us about the centre listed under Barnstaple, North Devon. Ian writes: "This address is actually in South Molton, 15 miles from Barnstaple (largest local population centre) on an industrial estate with no bus service. Users would have to travel here via the notorious North Devon Link Road (26 killed in accidents during the last 19 years). The only bus services to South Molton town for the 70,000 people in North Devon are via Barnstaple and Tiverton, each 15 miles from South Molton. THERE ARE NO TRAINS HERE SINCE 1964!"
Further information about interrogation centres can be sent to passports@no2id.net.
MPs Debate Child Fingerprinting
On July 23rd Greg Mulholland MP introduced an adjournment debate to an almost empty House of Commons on biometric data in schools. The debate coincided with the release of guidelines by the British Education Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA). Mr Mulholland said: "The collection of biometric data in our schools is unnecessary, intrusive and insecure. A can of worms has been opened and, as yet, the Government have failed adequately to close it." The Minister for Schools and Learners (Jim Knight) replied that: "It is not '1984' by the backdoor. There are no sinister forces at work here, and I would argue that it is irresponsible to suggest otherwise to get some cheap headlines." He went on to point out that "the guidance specifically recommends that schools give pupils and parents with genuine concerns the opportunity to opt out. Those who choose to do so should be offered an alternative means of accessing the same services."
Read a transcript of the debate at http://tinyurl.com/2z38ta
Watch the debate at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Player/...?Encoding=7306
Government releases child fingerprinting guidelines
The British Education Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) has released guidelines on child fingerprinting in schools. The government's focus has been solely on data protection issues whist disregarding whether it is morally acceptable for a society to allow widespread fingerprinting of children. The guidelines state: "There is nothing explicit in the Data Protection Act to require schools to seek the consent of parents before implementing a biometric technology system." The guidelines do suggest though that: "Whilst consent is not required for all processing of personal data, schools should normally involve pupils and parents in their decisions to use biometric technologies as is the case with other decisions made during the school life of children." The Information commissioner has released a statement that says issues such as consent or whether biometrics will soften up a future generation to such technologies "while raising wider questions of public attitude and public policy, are not specifically data protection issues".
Read the guidance at http://tinyurl.com/ytoqnv
Read the Information Commissioner's statement at http://tinyurl.com/3529e5
BBC 'File on Four' looks at ID database false matches
On Tuesday(31st July) Radio 4 broadcast a File on Four programme that looked at the government's ID scheme and it's use of fingerprint technology. In the programme Professor John Daugman, of the University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory, warned that "if you have a database of say six million people the false match rate against them will be about 1 in 1000 and the true match rate is something like 95%". From this point on Daugman said the situation would get progressively worse and that the scheme will not deliver the goal of "one citizen one identity" as there will be too many false matches. Other academics warned that the scheme is ill thought out.
Listen online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/file_on_4/
Award winning essay looks at the authoritarian state
Journalist Philip Johnston has won the Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust Award for an essay which looks at the British state's march towards totalitarianism. Johnston describes ID cards as "the ultimate weapon of state control" and goes on to point out that: "This is something that the State qua State, as opposed to an individual minister or government, has long sought to introduce. When it comes to softening up the country for an ID card, the Home Office has been prepared to play a very long game. Officials have presented every home secretary for the past 50 years with a proposal for an ID scheme."
Read the essay at http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment...cle2104562.ece
German anti-surveillance demo called
"Freedom Not Fear" is the slogan of an anti-surveillance demonstration to be held in Berlin on 22 September. A coalition of German rights organisations, professional bodies and political groups is backing the protest, which is mainly against proposals to legalise hidden online searches of computer hard disks by the police and to make data retention by Internet and telecomms providers compulsory - including by anonymisers. This is the fourth anti-surveillance demo to be held in Germany since June 2006. The coalition also opposes biometrics and RFID in passports and ID cards; CCTV and automated facial recognition in public places; automatic number plate recognition on the public highway; and the retention of airline passenger data. "The growing electronic registration and surveillance of the whole population does not provide increased protection against crime," the demo organisers point out, "but it does cost millions of euros and it puts innocent people's privacy at risk."
"ID" in the news
Jacqui Smith: The Interview - New Statesman 2/8/07
She may be using a softer language on the big crime and security issues of the day but Britain's first female home secretary is pursuing a distinctly authoritarian agenda. "There will be an ID card," she says. "From 2009 we will be introducing ID cards for UK citizens. From 2008 we will introduce what will effectively be an ID card for those who have been in the UK for more than six months."
http://www.newstatesman.com/200708020014
Home Office to roll out biometric technology to UK borders - Computer Weekly 1/8/07
The government plans to spend £1.2bn on biometric technology and staff to catch illegal immigrants and others undesirables at UK borders. But it has postponed a framework procurement programme for a national identity card.
http://tinyurl.com/2t8spa
Hacked passport crashes readers - Boing Boing 31/7/07
A hacker has demonstrated an exploit against the RFID tags in the new US passports that allows him to clone a passport and modify the RFID with bad code that will crash the passport readers.
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/07/31...port_cras.html
Nurses unsure whether NHS can deliver EPRs - E-Health Insider 30/7/07
Over half of nurses do not believe or do not know whether the NHS can deliver an electronic patient record (EPR) in the foreseeable future, according to a new survey from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news...n_deliver_eprs
Millions spent but no cards yet... - silicon.com 30/7/07
During the year ending 31 March 2007, the government spent £30.9m on setting up the National Identity Scheme (NIS) - up from the £27.7m expenditure in the previous year, according to Home Office figures.
http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/...991,00.htm?r=2
Beware of Mr Brown. He's after your rights - The Observer 29/7/07
He has asked for 56 days' detention without charge and has placed ID cards, now referred to as 'ID security' - cleverly linking the cards to ideas of personal protection - at the heart of the counter-terrorist strategy.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comme...137112,00.html
ID card project gets new boss - silicon.com 27/7/07
The national ID card project has a new boss following a reshuffle of Home Office ministers. Meg Hillier is the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Identity, with responsibilities that include the identity card project, Freedom of Information requests and criminal records.
http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/...9167982,00.htm
Children as young as five to be fingerprinted in schools - Daily Mail 23/7/07
Schools have been given the go-ahead to take fingerprints from children as young as five - without asking their parents first. Schools can also take retina and iris scans and record children's voices, face shapes, hand measurements, handwriting and typing patterns.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...icle_id=470344
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor(newsletter@no2id.net) )
(This is WITHOUT asking for parents permission.)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...icle_id=470344
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: THEY'RE COMING FOR YOUR KIDS ---SAY NO 2 ID
NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 77 - 2nd August 2007
Contacting us: Call or email the office - 020-7793-4005 or (office@no2id.net).
THEY'RE COMING FOR YOUR KIDS
In the rush of announcements and over 40 written statements put out in the final days of the Parliamentary session, you may not have noticed that the government has given the final go-ahead for ContactPoint - the database formerly known as the Children's IS Index.
Like the National Identity Register - the linked databases at the heart of the ID cards scheme - ContactPoint will contain significant amounts of personal information ON EVERY CHILD IN THE UK. Over 300,000 people will have access to the system, which is intended to be up and running by next year. We understand that the details of celebrities' and public figures' children may be kept hidden, a two-tier privacy policy that demonstrates the very real security risks such a system introduces.
Each child will be given an ID number, and their record will contain details about their parents, doctor, health visitor, midwife and/or school nurse, school and/or college, services they have accessed - specifically flagging up vulnerable children who have accessed "sensitive services", e.g. to do with sexual or mental health - and a link to a new social services assessment, the eCAF*. Far from reducing risks to children, child protection specialists have expressed alarm that practitioners will be so overwhelmed with low-level data about all 11 million children in the country that those at risk of harm will in fact be less likely to be noticed.
Did you know that from 2008 the government will be monitoring YOUR child from birth? Plenty of questions remain unanswered: why put every child in the country on a database that less than half will ever need? Why spend all this money rather than investing in much-needed children's services? Why should a politician's children get greater protection than your son/daughter/nephew/granddaughter?
Tell your family and friends. Wake people up now. Write to your MP and your local paper's letters page. The ID scheme may be slipping, but the government's surveillance and data-sharing agenda is gathering pace. And first they're coming for your kids.
--
* For more detail on ContactPoint, eCAF and the growing surveillance of children, we highly recommend Action on Rights for Children's blog and particularly ARCH's Database Masterclass: http://archrights.wordpress.com/
What's next?
Local groups news
We have local groups all over the country and in 36 of the 69 locations of ID interrogation centres. If you can help to set up a local group in one of the remaining towns then please contact us at (office@no2id.net). A full list of local groups can be found at www.no2id.net/localGroups
Kensington and Chelsea NO2ID mugs
Kensington & Chelsea NO2ID once again have some mugs sporting the NO2ID logo. The mugs are available by mail order for just £7 or £4 in person with a reduction for bulk purchases i.e. (4 or more) to £3. Contact kensington@no2id.net for more details of how to order.
Manchester NO2ID calls for "Students against ID" volunteers
Manchester NO2ID are still looking for people interested in helping with a Students Against ID society in the next academic year. If you're at all interested, whether you'd be prepared to shoulder the responsibility yourself or just help someone else out, please drop an e-mail to manchester@no2id.net
Still showing - "Taking Liberties" documentary film featuring NO2ID at cinemas around the country
The documentary which features NO2ID is still showing at cinemas across the UK. The film is described as "a shocking but hilarious polemic documentary that charts the destruction of all your Basic Liberties under 10 Years of New Labour". More info at http://www.noliberties.com/cinema.htm
Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop by for a chat. New volunteers - please contact John(edinburgh@no2id.net), and for more group information see http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/
Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow Street Stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please contact Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow@no2id.net.
7th and 21st August - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting
Tuesday 7th and 21st August, our regular fortnightly meeting at 8pm in Mono. All welcome. Map: http://www.glasgow-no2id.org.uk/meeting.html
11th August - NO2ID Manchester Street Stall
Saturday, 11th August 1-3pm - we'll be running a Saturday afternoon stall in St. Anne's Square. We'll meet in the square itself at 1pm to set up shop. Feel free to join us to lend a hand or just chat. You don't need any experience or equipment, just a bit of time to spare and a friendly smile!
15th August - Manchester NO2ID Meeting
Wednesday, 15th August 7-9pm - Manchester NO2ID will be holding our monthly meeting in the upstairs function room of the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, Manchester. Sadly, this venue is not wheelchair-accessible, please contact us if you have accessibility needs.The Town Hall Tavern serves reasonably-priced, good quality food until 8pm so you don't need to pop home for tea - you can even order your meal brought up to the function room.
8th September - Cambridge NO2ID at the Cherry Hinton Festival
Saturday, 8th September - Cambridge NO2ID will have a stall at the Cherry Hinton Festival (http://www.cherryhintonfestival.co.uk/). Volunteers to help man the stall and distribute NO2ID literature, car stickers and badges very welcome. Contact Alex or Andrew at cambridge@no2id.net.
What just happened?
Remote ID bureaucrats stick a pin in the map
Many thanks to all of the supporters who have contacted us since last week's appeal for information about the ID interrogation centres around the country. Ian Cowling in Devon told us about the centre listed under Barnstaple, North Devon. Ian writes: "This address is actually in South Molton, 15 miles from Barnstaple (largest local population centre) on an industrial estate with no bus service. Users would have to travel here via the notorious North Devon Link Road (26 killed in accidents during the last 19 years). The only bus services to South Molton town for the 70,000 people in North Devon are via Barnstaple and Tiverton, each 15 miles from South Molton. THERE ARE NO TRAINS HERE SINCE 1964!"
Further information about interrogation centres can be sent to passports@no2id.net.
MPs Debate Child Fingerprinting
On July 23rd Greg Mulholland MP introduced an adjournment debate to an almost empty House of Commons on biometric data in schools. The debate coincided with the release of guidelines by the British Education Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA). Mr Mulholland said: "The collection of biometric data in our schools is unnecessary, intrusive and insecure. A can of worms has been opened and, as yet, the Government have failed adequately to close it." The Minister for Schools and Learners (Jim Knight) replied that: "It is not '1984' by the backdoor. There are no sinister forces at work here, and I would argue that it is irresponsible to suggest otherwise to get some cheap headlines." He went on to point out that "the guidance specifically recommends that schools give pupils and parents with genuine concerns the opportunity to opt out. Those who choose to do so should be offered an alternative means of accessing the same services."
Read a transcript of the debate at http://tinyurl.com/2z38ta
Watch the debate at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Player/...?Encoding=7306
Government releases child fingerprinting guidelines
The British Education Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) has released guidelines on child fingerprinting in schools. The government's focus has been solely on data protection issues whist disregarding whether it is morally acceptable for a society to allow widespread fingerprinting of children. The guidelines state: "There is nothing explicit in the Data Protection Act to require schools to seek the consent of parents before implementing a biometric technology system." The guidelines do suggest though that: "Whilst consent is not required for all processing of personal data, schools should normally involve pupils and parents in their decisions to use biometric technologies as is the case with other decisions made during the school life of children." The Information commissioner has released a statement that says issues such as consent or whether biometrics will soften up a future generation to such technologies "while raising wider questions of public attitude and public policy, are not specifically data protection issues".
Read the guidance at http://tinyurl.com/ytoqnv
Read the Information Commissioner's statement at http://tinyurl.com/3529e5
BBC 'File on Four' looks at ID database false matches
On Tuesday(31st July) Radio 4 broadcast a File on Four programme that looked at the government's ID scheme and it's use of fingerprint technology. In the programme Professor John Daugman, of the University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory, warned that "if you have a database of say six million people the false match rate against them will be about 1 in 1000 and the true match rate is something like 95%". From this point on Daugman said the situation would get progressively worse and that the scheme will not deliver the goal of "one citizen one identity" as there will be too many false matches. Other academics warned that the scheme is ill thought out.
Listen online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/file_on_4/
Award winning essay looks at the authoritarian state
Journalist Philip Johnston has won the Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust Award for an essay which looks at the British state's march towards totalitarianism. Johnston describes ID cards as "the ultimate weapon of state control" and goes on to point out that: "This is something that the State qua State, as opposed to an individual minister or government, has long sought to introduce. When it comes to softening up the country for an ID card, the Home Office has been prepared to play a very long game. Officials have presented every home secretary for the past 50 years with a proposal for an ID scheme."
Read the essay at http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment...cle2104562.ece
German anti-surveillance demo called
"Freedom Not Fear" is the slogan of an anti-surveillance demonstration to be held in Berlin on 22 September. A coalition of German rights organisations, professional bodies and political groups is backing the protest, which is mainly against proposals to legalise hidden online searches of computer hard disks by the police and to make data retention by Internet and telecomms providers compulsory - including by anonymisers. This is the fourth anti-surveillance demo to be held in Germany since June 2006. The coalition also opposes biometrics and RFID in passports and ID cards; CCTV and automated facial recognition in public places; automatic number plate recognition on the public highway; and the retention of airline passenger data. "The growing electronic registration and surveillance of the whole population does not provide increased protection against crime," the demo organisers point out, "but it does cost millions of euros and it puts innocent people's privacy at risk."
"ID" in the news
Jacqui Smith: The Interview - New Statesman 2/8/07
She may be using a softer language on the big crime and security issues of the day but Britain's first female home secretary is pursuing a distinctly authoritarian agenda. "There will be an ID card," she says. "From 2009 we will be introducing ID cards for UK citizens. From 2008 we will introduce what will effectively be an ID card for those who have been in the UK for more than six months."
http://www.newstatesman.com/200708020014
Home Office to roll out biometric technology to UK borders - Computer Weekly 1/8/07
The government plans to spend £1.2bn on biometric technology and staff to catch illegal immigrants and others undesirables at UK borders. But it has postponed a framework procurement programme for a national identity card.
http://tinyurl.com/2t8spa
Hacked passport crashes readers - Boing Boing 31/7/07
A hacker has demonstrated an exploit against the RFID tags in the new US passports that allows him to clone a passport and modify the RFID with bad code that will crash the passport readers.
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/07/31...port_cras.html
Nurses unsure whether NHS can deliver EPRs - E-Health Insider 30/7/07
Over half of nurses do not believe or do not know whether the NHS can deliver an electronic patient record (EPR) in the foreseeable future, according to a new survey from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news...n_deliver_eprs
Millions spent but no cards yet... - silicon.com 30/7/07
During the year ending 31 March 2007, the government spent £30.9m on setting up the National Identity Scheme (NIS) - up from the £27.7m expenditure in the previous year, according to Home Office figures.
http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/...991,00.htm?r=2
Beware of Mr Brown. He's after your rights - The Observer 29/7/07
He has asked for 56 days' detention without charge and has placed ID cards, now referred to as 'ID security' - cleverly linking the cards to ideas of personal protection - at the heart of the counter-terrorist strategy.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comme...137112,00.html
ID card project gets new boss - silicon.com 27/7/07
The national ID card project has a new boss following a reshuffle of Home Office ministers. Meg Hillier is the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Identity, with responsibilities that include the identity card project, Freedom of Information requests and criminal records.
http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/...9167982,00.htm
Children as young as five to be fingerprinted in schools - Daily Mail 23/7/07
Schools have been given the go-ahead to take fingerprints from children as young as five - without asking their parents first. Schools can also take retina and iris scans and record children's voices, face shapes, hand measurements, handwriting and typing patterns.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...icle_id=470344
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor(newsletter@no2id.net) )