Now Sir, Tell Me Who You Are
Could everyone who reads this please answer the following questions? Relax though, because it’s not at all invasive, it’s simply what the UK Government’s ID Card and Backend database is asking to prove you are who you say you are. And naturally it’s not covered by the Data Protection Act.
After all, if you’re innocent you’ve got nothing to hide…
1. Name
2. Other previous names or aliases;
3. Date and place of birth and, if the person has died, the date of death;
4. Address
5. Previous addresses in the United Kingdom and elsewhere;
6. Times of residency at different places in the United Kingdom or elsewhere;
7. Current residential status;
8. Residential statuses previously held;
9. Information about numbers allocated to the applicant for identification purposes and about the documents to which they relate;
10. Information about occasions on which recorded information in the Register has been provided to any person;
11. Information recorded in the Register on request.
12. Photograph
13. Fingerprints
14. “Other” biometrics (iris recognition);
15. Signature
16. Nationality;
17. Entitlement to remain in the United Kingdom; and
18. Where entitlement derives from a grant of leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, the terms and conditions of that leave.
19. National Identity Registration Number;
20. The number of any ID card that has been issued;
21. National Insurance number;
22. The number of any relevant immigration document;
23. The number of any United Kingdom passport (within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971 (c. 77)) that has been issued;
24. The number of any passport issued by or on behalf of the authorities of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom or by or on behalf of an international organisation;
25. The number of any document that can be used (in some or all circumstances) instead of a passport;
26. The number of any identity card issued by the authorities of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom;
27. Any reference number allocated by the Secretary of State in connection with an application made for permission to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom;
28. The number of any work permit (within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971);
29. Any driver number connected to a driving licence;
30. The number of any designated document which is held by the applicant that is a document the number of which does not fall within any of the preceding sub-paragraphs;
31. The date of expiry or period of validity of a document the number of which is recorded by virtue of this paragraph.
32. The date of every application for registration;
33. The date of every application for a modification of the contents of his entry;
34. The date of every application confirming the contents of his entry (with or without changes);
35. The reason for any omission from the information recorded in his entry;
36. Particulars (in addition to its number) of every ID card issued;
37. Whether each such card is in force and, if not, why not;
38. Particulars of every person who has countersigned an application for an ID card or a designated document;
39. Particulars of every notification given by the applicant for the purposes of regulations under section 13(1) (lost, stolen and damaged ID cards etc.);
40. Particulars of every requirement by the Secretary of State for the individual to surrender an ID card issued to the applicant.
41. The information provided in connection with every application to be entered in the Register, for a modification of the contents of entry in the Register or for the issue of an ID card;
42. Information provided in connection with every application confirming entry in the Register (with or without change;
43. Particulars of the steps taken, in connection with an application mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) or otherwise, for identifying the applicant or for verifying the information provided in connection with the application;
44. Particulars of any other steps taken or information obtained (otherwise than in connection with an application mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b)) for ensuring that there is a complete, up-to-date and accurate entry about that individual in the Register;
45. Particulars of every notification given by that individual for the purposes of section 12.
46. A personal identification number to be used for facilitating the making of applications for information recorded in his entry, and for facilitating the provision of the information;
47. A password or other code to be used for that purpose or particulars of a method of generating such a password or code;
48. Questions and answers to be used for identifying a person seeking to make such an application or to apply for or to make a modification of that entry.
49. Particulars of every occasion on which information contained in the individual’s entry has been provided to a person;
50. Particulars of every person to whom such information has been provided on such an occasion;
51. Other particulars, in relation to each such occasion, of the provision of the information.
15. Polish.
I would love to live in UK and have “Polish” on my ID card from UK government. Hah!
For comparison, here is the record kept by the Finnish government:
1. Social Security number [which includes the date of birth]
2. Name
3. Address, home municipality, residence
4. Relatives (mother, father, siblings, children)
5. Nationality
6. Is the person under guardianship, if yes, by whom and for how long
7. Date of death
8. Native language and preferred language (as reported by the person in question)
9. Occupation
10. Restrictions for use of personal information [NB: Any citizen can place restrictions on the use of their personal data]
11. Mailing address.
12. [can’t translate – essentially whether the kid has been taken from his parents to a foster home]
13. Election information (i.e. where you are supposed to go to vote)
14. Religion
15. Who manages the local registry of this person
16. PIN code for electronic transactions with the government.
As you can see, quite a few less than your proposed stuff. Finland has achieved a good balance between the national ID code [the social security number] and privacy: no governmental body, corporation or person may hold any more information about a person than is absolutely necessary to conduct normal operations; every person has the right to inspect their personal records from any database they are in; and whenever your information is given for any purpose whatsoever, the register keeper must inform you.
So, even in direct mailings there is always a small text printed somewhere: “We got your name and address from so-and-so register.”
It’s a pretty decent system, as registrars always only have very little information about you. For example, as it is almost always illegal to use the social security number as an unique key in the records (after all, you can hardly argue that it’s absolutely necessary for a shop, for example), it does not become the universal access key to everything you do and are. Identity theft is rare…