Re-posted from archive of infinite ideas machine 2004: [LINKS UNCHECKED]
Martin Brampton acts as an excellent Devil’s Advocate in his article, Does the UK need ID cards? on silicon.com. The comments are starting to reflect people’s growing concern with Blunkett’s scheme – and I have to say, despite my inevitable bias, that I think the con’s are being far more coherently argued than the pro’s. “It’ll be more convenient” and “Shut up, the polls say people want ’em” vs. growing suspicion of politicians, proven bureaucratic inefficiency, valuing liberal society, being considered safer by countries that have ’em, dubious ‘benefits’, prosecution by database, a tax on the forgetful, and analogies to the Weimar Republic.
Maybe the tone of the debate (what little there has been) is shifting – it’s certainly time for more people to join in…