All your data belongs to us

[minestrone]

How?

Make passports biometric and upgrade the system. Make it like the american system where you have to open the book for it to be readable.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Make passports biometric and upgrade the system. Make it like the american system where you have to open the book for it to be readable.

Er... But a passport's not the same as an ID card is it? and what do you mean by Biometric anyway - the government's been using a few different definitions according to what policy it's trying to launder that week.

Interested in knowing more about the US system - I didn't know that.

[minestrone]

Er... But a passport's not the same as an ID card is it? and what do you mean by Biometric anyway - the government's been using a few different definitions according to what policy it's trying to launder that week.

Interested in knowing more about the US system - I didn't know that.

Well it is really, a passport is used much much more internally for identification than for travel. Anyone can forge a passport with a different photo so just put a couple of finger prints, a digital photo and a retina scan on it.

There is real value in something like that but we did not need a totally new system. I would prefer using that than passing out photocopies of my passport everywhere.

The goverment really fecked up in this.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Well it is really, a passport is used much much more internally for identification than for travel. Anyone can forge a passport with a different photo so just put a couple of finger prints, a digital photo and a retina scan on it.

There is real value in something like that but we did not need a totally new system. I would prefer using that than passing out photocopies of my passport everywhere.

The goverment really fliped up in this.

I assume you mean Iris recognition rather than retina scan? - and I assume you'd be happy for a passport to become a de-facto ID card then - so people who didn't even want to go abroad would need to get one?

I'm not sure I agree passports are used much more internally for ID than Travel. On the rare occasions some jobsworth wants "ID" from me, they usually want something with my home address on - unless of course you are thinking that should be on the passports?

[minestrone]

I assume you mean Iris recognition rather than retina scan? - and I assume you'd be happy for a passport to become a de-facto ID card then - so people who didn't even want to go abroad would need to get one?

I'm not sure I agree passports are used much more internally for ID than Travel. On the rare occasions some jobsworth wants "ID" from me, they usually want something with my home address on - unless of course you are thinking that should be on the passports?

Yes, make the passport have a dual role rather than 2 different systems, one being a new labour monumental "we know what is good for IT" feck up.

Open a bank account, get an ISA, mortgage right down to joining a cash and carry, all of them as for a passport.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Yes, make the passport have a dual role rather than 2 different systems, one being a new labour monumental "we know what is good for IT" flip up.

Open a bank account, get an ISA, mortgage right down to joining a cash and carry, all of them as for a passport.

Er no - passport not necessary for Bank Account, ISA or Mortgage - Certainly not for every Bank/BS - they can be demanded by lazy/incompetant staff but are not needed. No idea about cash and carry as I have not checked.

Did you mean Iris scan or retina?

Edit BTW - for "dual role passports" to "save money" watch this space if Labour win the next election(which with any luck they won't).

[Peoplesoft bloke]

From the British Bankers Association

"There are exceptional procedures in place to help customers who cannot provide the preferred documents. Don’t be put off by the mention of passports and driving licences.
These tend to be the documents that are preferred because they are official documents and most people can provide them, but they are not the only way of enabling a bank to satisfy itself of your identity.

Many people have reasonable grounds for not being able to produce the recommended documents. For example, they may have never been abroad, so do not have a passport, have never learnt to drive or their spouse may pay the council tax bill. To help in all these cases, all banks
and building societies have procedures that permit other proofs of identity to be accepted."

[Cyberman]

The goverment really fliped up in this.

They really flipped up on most things... especially pensions !! The most useless government in UK history IMO, even worse that Callaghan's.

[minestrone]

Er no - passport not necessary for Bank Account, ISA or Mortgage - Certainly not for every Bank/BS - they can be demanded by lazy/incompetant staff but are not needed. No idea about cash and carry as I have not checked.

With money laundering compliance they will demand that one is produced. I worked for the Fraud Squad for some time and from what I learned there I could rip off pretty much anyone through a dozen means, there should be something more than what is there just now. Usually the arguments aganst it are pretty weak. Anyway I have better things to do.

[TykeMerc]

All other arguments aside I won't be volunteering for an ID Card and especially so if I had to pay for it.

Having been involved in a lengthy and quite expensive study of biometrics I also have little faith in biometrics as a reliable tool.

I wonder just how many of the CUK posters (excluding sockpuppets and the clinically moronic like Cybertit) would actually chose to have one? We're generally an educated and informed lot even those who use txtspk and/or are too lazy to use your and there in the right places.