BS: I.D Cards, are they a stupid idea?

Subject: RE: BS: I.D Cards, are they a stupid idea?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 04:48 PM

Identity cards don't seem to be too effective in stopping terrorism in countries where they do have them. It strikes me that to have any real likelihood of stopping a suicide bomber, the system would have to be so all pervasive that it really would be repressive.

I get a feeling that just a few years down the line people will be living in a system where literally everything they do and say round the clock will be under scrutiny. Probably sooner or later, everything they even think - that's not a joke either, the technology is on the way.

Even if we assume we'll always have a government that's basically decent and respectful towards its citizens freedoms - and that's one hell of an optimistic assumption to make - that is a preetty scary prospect. And if we don't make that assumption, it's a nightmare.

Subject: BS: I.D Cards, are they a stupid idea?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 04:21 PM

I hear David Blunkett wants us all [in the UK] to carry a national ID card, the idea been that it will stop terrorism,

I have no objection to carrying an ID card, but fail to see how it can stop terrorists, I also wonder how much it will cost, ie 60 million people in the UK, lets say the cards cost £40 each, that adds up to, well loads of money, then there is the cost of the people working in the ID card office,the computer system to run it on.

anyway, loads of people already have a Tesco Points card, so why not just stick photos on the tesco cards, and use them instead, save millions.