[clue-talk] national ID card

[dennisjperkins at comcast.net]

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Angelo Bertolli <angelo at freeshell.org>
> dennisjperkins at comcast.net wrote:
> > Saying that everything should be open is just an excuse to snoop.
> I have no interest in snooping.  I just think that if we're going to 
> have to have identifications necessary for running a society, the 
> information should be more open than something that the government keeps 
> for itself.

Good.  Too many people do.

> > We all have expectations of privacy,  be it in personal mail, or email from 
> our home accounts, conversations with friends, financial records, trade secrets, 
> boardroom business, in our homes, in the bedroom...  That person who insists on 
> prying into your personal life probably squawks quite loudly whenever anyone 
> tries to peer into their life.
> >   
> We're only talking about identity, not communication.  Of course not all 
> communication can be open, or some things will break.  I think that's 
> more easily abused.  I think I agree with Sean, that government 
> transparency is the real issue.
 
> > There is a big difference between public information and private information.  
> Actual news that occurs in the open.  Records about meetings and decisions by 
> our government officials to ensure that they remain honest and trustworthy.  
> Scientific, technical and historical knowledge.  Etc.
> >   
> So do you think that your identification should be public information or 
> private information?

Good question, but probably a bit vague as worded.   Public to who?  A bank?  Yes, if appropriate.  My employer?  Depends on the information.  To anyone?  No.  That would probably make identity theft easier too.