Preaching to the bloody choir, mate. It's all rather depressing. It also quite annoying when ever one brings it up in conversation. People always say "I don't mind it." or, rather disconcertingly "It's not a problem unless you do something wrong." and if you try to point out how we don't know who decides what is considered "wrong" (As in, illegal), you get called a loony (I consider myself mad, but it's still rude). Add to the fact that the Government does not have a good track record regarding information privacy and we have a serious issue. And to top it all off, we're going to have to pay for all this (Something like £300 per person) so it's a stealth tax as well.

As for the cameras, most of them are concentrated in the urban areas. I live in the country at the moment but soon have to move right next to London which makes my bloody day, I can tell you.


All well, could be worse, eh? And who knows, maybe they'll give up on the idea.

Data will neve rbe secure in government. Its run by a head that changes every 2 to 4 years and its constaly being tasked with getting things doen as cheaply as possible. Data will be passed between departments that evolve grow shrink appear and dissapear. and data will be lost . some day someone will say, if they havntt already, lets save money and have the dat colated in india or teiwan. or lets have a call center in another country that has people who need to access teh data to give you your benifit.

But when it comes down to it we lost our rights years ago, theyll do whatever they want, amnd we have to live with it. Protest does little, mistakes and politicfs is teh only way to change things these days. and we dont live in that world.

But lets face it as technology improves things change , governments will use it to keep more and more data on the populus . inityially as a helpfull measure but as they say power corrupts.

What does concern me isnt tyeh id system itself but more the lessons from history. We do a good job of ignoring them. The curerent government may use thuis sort of thing for good. But who knows what well have 10 years from now.

in tegh 1930s the story goes a prty in germany asked a IBM to make records of a census of the population. Not IBMs falt they were  just doing a job at the time. No hint of what could happen. It was orderly and efficient adn was a fine example of modern technology. One of teh items on the 150 odd items was religion. In teh years that followed those lists were used to identify jewish families.

Technology is just technology its how its used by people not yet in power or coming to power that you have to watch.  We all already have ids in teh uk every one over a certain age has a bnational insurance no. we all exist on tax records, most have a driving licence , a lot have passports. We are already cogs in a system. thats why all the data thats been replaced exists . Id cards are just another way to tie us to that identity.

Its not teh id carsd, it show they will be used.

Ever been stopped by teh police when driving and asked for your driving licence? If you dont have it on you you are given a producer so taht you havee to show it at a police station within 7 days ( and usually mot and insurance).  You already have an id card, just not quite such  a high tech one.

Those with the power do all they can to keep the power . The rights of the populouse will always be eroded in favour e of teh state. It is teh nature of teh beast, and as for decendants i worry for the world that may be there for mine.

I also reside in the UK, lukily in quite a rural area, but alrealy there are more than 10 camera's (that I know of) in my village with a population of less than 1000. Also the smoking ban...this is particularly annoying, I smoke, therefor I must be evil. During the 1930's Adolf Hitler banned smoking in public places 'For the good of public health' .It really pisses me off that the media saturated population can't see these small infringments on our civil liberties as the decent into facism.

Unfortunately, it only matters to the people you meet, if these infringements have affected them. That's why governments target minorities. That's why you need as much information to hand as possible. I always mention freedom of speech and the criminal justice bill, then highlight new terror laws to these people.

tell them they may not legally wear a t-shirt, or have a conversation that offends a passer by, or even an eavesdropper, or go anywhere with more than 5 people, or that the government can imprison them for 28 days without charging them, you can soon get them gibbering!

Information is always power.