[clue-talk] national ID card

[Sean LeBlanc]

On 06-30 14:15, erik at ezolan.com wrote:
> 
> The argument I'm seeing on the "No national ID" side looks a lot like
> "Security through obscurity", which I also disagree with.
> 
> Yes, by keeping a bunch of separate databases, it makes it more difficult
> for the government to do anything.
> 
> Like correct inevitable mistakes, errors, or sabotage.
> 
> By keeping a unified database it forces the government to regulate and
> take good care of it. Right now we have databases operating in the grey
> area because we're not supposed to be having them, in principle.
> 
> This is actually *worse* than a national database.

I would agree with you - but whatever is put in place would have to be
answerable to public pressure, Congressional oversight, etc. We cannot have
bogus claims being made by one group that the lack of transparency or
regulation is for "national security", for example, so it would have to be
very clear about things.

Along with that, a very strong set of consumer rights would have to be set
out. For instance, I'm sure we've all heard the horror stories of someone's
identity being stolen, and they are pretty much thrown under the bus when it
comes to correcting their history held in private hands. I'm sure the
history in public hands isn't much better, but right now other than health
data, it's my understanding that this field is pretty much a free-for-all,
with the consumer coming out on the short end (I used to work for an outfit
later bought by Axciom). 

I read a little further into that book I mentioned earlier, called Who's
Watching You? Turns out that data gathered by such things as those grocery
store cards are used by both major political parties.  You could argue that
the bargain you enter by using those cards is that you agree to your data
being re-sold, but does anyone really feel comfortable with that data being
sold to just about anyone, forever, with no oversight?  We have HIPAA laws,
why not more oversight on credit ratings and other consumer data? 

Side note: I went to uni with someone who later worked at an outfit called
SASI that gathered and processed that grocery data. I refused to use the
things before that anyway, but after having it confirmed firsthand, I
continue to not use them. I usually pay cash (with face-recognition software
+ digital cameras, that is or will become moot, anyway). 


-- 
Sean LeBlanc:seanleblanc at comcast.net  
http://sean-leblanc.blogspot.com/
Tell me who admires you and loves you, and I will tell you who you are. 
-Charles Augustin Sainte-Beauve