ID cards - the big lie

The UK Government's obsession with knowing what we've done, what we're doing, and what we're planning on doing is not only intrusive but borders on the dangerous.  The Daily Telegraph reports (ID cards: taxman allowed access to personal data) that tax official will have access to data held by the ID card system.

HM Revenue and Customs staff will be able to examine people's financial transactions on the scheme's database and search for evidence of undeclared earnings or bank accounts.

It turns out that the ID card system records each time an ID card is used in identity verification for a large purchase, mortgage or even to open a bank account.  Another use of the database will be to when ID checks for eligibility to work in the UK are made.  It seems that companies will be able to access information on ID card holders for 60p a pop.

I bet the surviving Stasi operatives are green with envy.

For more on issues on the ID card scheme, visit No2ID.net