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UK Switches Off £235M Child Database

Posted by timothy on from the after-all-they've-grown-up dept.

wdef writes "The UK's controversial ContactPoint database has actually been switched off! It's rare that we hear anything this sensible from government about an expensive, privacy-destroying, 'think of the children' solution: 'The government argued the system was disproportionate to the problem, so is looking at developing other solutions.' Perhaps the UK coalition government really is winding back Big Brother, as they had promised to do? Does seem unlikely."

5 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. Of course they are, for now... by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Informative

    The coalition is unpopular with a lot of Liberal Democrat voters (not sure what they'd prefer - probably for the LibDems to continue to be completely ineffectual, rather than to get at least some of their policies passed) and is in danger of a back-bench rebellion by the LibDem MPs who'd rather pander to popular opinion than get on with running the country. They need to do some things about civil liberties to keep these people on side, and cancelling existing programs is one of the few things that won't alienate Conservative back benchers, who are typically against government spending of any kind.

    So far, the coalition seems to be the best government the UK has had while I've been alive (although, to be fair, that's not exactly hard). Unfortunately, it's not clear how long it will manage to stay together.

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    1. Re:Of course they are, for now... by BasilBrush · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If the Lib-Dems had chose to form a coalition with Labour instead, it would have been most loudly objected to by natural Conservative supporters, who voted Liberal Democrat where their own candidate was a no-hoper. Sure, the right of the party wouldn't have been too pleased with the coalition but it would have been the Tory supporters, with their massive sense of entitlement that would be really annoyed.

      Fundamentally it's a problem with the first past the post voting system, not some wide generalisation about party supporters of one side or another.

      If the promise to have a referendum on Alternative Voting is delivered upon, and the electorate are intelligent enough to vote it in, then it will solve this predicament. It will make it always advantageous to vote for the party(s) you prefer, rather than voting tactically for a different party in the hope of keeping the villain of choice out.

    2. Re:Of course they are, for now... by Hope+Thelps · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's way too early to judge this government as a "the best". They've only been in power a year.

      More like three months in fact.

      --
      To summarise the summary of the summary: people are a problem. ~ h2g2
  2. It is a Perverted Society that we Live In by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The incident that spawned this database of children:

    In spring 1999, Victoria Climbié (born 2 November 1991 in Abobo, Ivory Coast, died 25 February 2000 in St. Mary's Hospital, London) and her great aunt Marie-Thérèse Kouao arrived in London, sent by her parents for a chance of an education. A few months later, Kouao met Carl Manning on a bus which he was driving, and she and Victoria moved into his flat. It was here that she was abused, including being beaten with hammers, bike chains, and wires; being forced to sleep in a bin liner in the bath; and being tied up for periods of longer than 24 hours. Up to her death, the police, the social services of many local authorities, the NHS, the NSPCC, and local churches all had contact with her, and noted the signs of abuse. However, in what the judge in the trial following Victoria's death described as "blinding incompetence"

    - Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contactpoint

    I can guarantee you that if this child was not physically abused, but instead had a picture taken of her with her clothes off (like in a bathtub) then those guardians would have ended up being arrested immediately and the child taken into protective services.

    Because in this day and age violence is acceptable (to a degree) and excusable (for "punishment"), but nudity and sexuality are considered threatening and abusive. It is a perverted society that we live in.

  3. Re:Big gov vs small gov by MullerMn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Labour would have done exactly the same, give or take a few details. It makes no real difference.

    Er, would that be the labour government that just finished putting the database in? How does that make any sense?