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HP Announces National Id System Built on .NET

Posted by Zonk on from the more-id-planning dept.

Anonymous Coward writes "Yahoo is running a story about HP's national ID plan, 'The need to securely identify people moving across national and international borders has never been more important than it is today,' said Jim Ganthier, worldwide leader, Defense, Intelligence and Public Safety, HP. 'HP and Microsoft are working together to provide government agencies the ability to access the integrated data streams needed to securely identify people both in the physical and virtual worlds.'"

4 of 393 comments (clear)

  1. Re:They clearly want a piece of the pie. by rpozz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Thanks for the link.

    The LSE study also raised the issue of people who are against ID cards, called "refuseniks". It said: "The costs of handling this group will be substantial".

    Looks like it's possible for the general public to do something about this one. Enough noise about it and it'll be too expensive and political suicide. The use of the word 'handling' is quite disturbing though.

    Given our government's total incompetence at handling things like this, I'd imagine it will end up costing even more if implemented.

  2. What happened to privacy? by xmundt · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Greetings and Salutations...
    I would feel far better about this if;
    a) the bad guys would play by the rules and register for their identity cards just like us law-abiding citizens and...
    b) We did not have such a long history of government abusing power that it takes.

    It may be a more complex world now, but, because of that, privacy should be even more valuable and preserved...rather than being stripped away.
    While there is no current indications that this ID card will become a required, internal passport, there is a VERY good chance it will be...which undercuts one of the mainstays of American life - that of unfettered travel throughout the country. It could, alas, lead to a totalitarian state on a VERY easy road. Read Lewis Sinclair's "It Can't Happen Here", and see if you see any parallels between HIS thesis and OUR reality today!
    On top of that, I have little confidence in the government or large organizations to keep accurate enough records to make this workable. So far, the track record is not great.

    Regards
    Dave Mundt

    --
    YAB - http://blog.beemandave.com/
  3. Oracle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Considering that Oracle said they'd donate the software to the
    feds for free for a national ID system, you have to wonder what Microsoft's price was. Clearly there's some payoff; but my bet is that it's to some special interests (individuals, or the states of specific lobbiests) and the taxpayer'll get screwed.

  4. The minority rules OK! by Colin+Smith · · Score: 3, Interesting

    In the UK, the Labour party just got reelected with only 36% of the vote. Yup. That's a minority. Almost 2/3 of the population didn't want them in power.

    Step 1: So, the first thing you do in a "democracy" to reduce individual liberty *and* get them to pay for it is take advantage of a medieval electoral system which gives a 1/3 minority an absolute majority in the parliament.

    Step 2: Then you use that parliamentary majority to push just about any legislation you like through the house.

    Step 3: Profit!

    Good eh?

    --
    Deleted