
Time to think seriously about personal information
By Steve Ranger
Published: 7 December 2007 16:39 GMT
There needs to be serious debate about the government's controversial identity card scheme - or it should be scrapped, according to an influential think tank.
A report from Demos said meaningful engagement with the public about how the technology should work must be foremost in shaping what the cards do, if ID card scheme is to go ahead.
"There needs to be a serious, renewed debate about the identity card scheme, with the kind of engagement that should have happened at the start of the process. Otherwise, the scheme should be dropped," the Demos report FYI: The new politics of personal information said.
It said there needs to be more open consideration of what kind of information the cards would hold, why, and in what circumstances they will be used.
The report from Demos said personal information has become central to how we live - from online banking to social networking - and this is creating a trend towards personal, tailored services - and a society "dominated by different forms of information gathering".
Demos argues there is a need for better debate about the boundaries, rights and responsibilities that regulate the use of this personal information
It said the government should develop a more coherent strategy around personal information use, which clarifies the links between how government will use personal information and the potential benefits or costs to individuals.
Each government department using personal information should say how they are accessing personal information, while the powers of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) should be strengthened, for example to include the ability to audit organisations' use of personal information without needing their consent, the report said.
scrap the legislation before any more money is was...
Karen Challinor
No-one trusts the government to manage a huge data...
Phil Thane
While I agree whole heartedly with the sentiment e...
Andrew Meredith
Don't debate, scrap them!
The government has ha...
Graham Coles
The most sensible article on this subject so far. ...
Martin Anderson
The role also includes: - Running of appropriate EU procurement competition to establish the elected procurement arrangement - Undertake a supplier ...
You will work on an engagement basis, contributing at any given time to one or more major strategy initiatives and have the flexibility to change ...
By submitting your CV and cover letter to us, you give express consent to us using your details for this purpose.Additional Keywords: Senior ...
Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.
Data Protection Strategies: Deduplication for More Efficient Backups
Dell PowerVault DL2100 Powered by CommVault - Spec Sheet
True Convergence Demands a Communication Service Provider that Embraces a Customer-Centric...
Learn how Performance Metrics for Telcomm Expense Management Drive new ROIs and SLAs
Stories from the web...
Copyright © 2008 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved. Top of page
Mark Crichard Doing business with citizen developers: Beware the legal pitfalls Legal Eye: Make sure your business is protected from potential hazards
Tim Ferguson How CIOs can achieve post-recession success Q&A: McKinsey & Company on living in the 'new normal' business world