ID cards at long last

Good news - wanted this to happen for ages. ID cards make life so much simpler.

The Bill has to get through both houses before it becomes law.

Not sure it will get an easy ride

I have wavered between yes and no on ID cards, between NHS App, HMRC, online Banking and all the so called loyalty cards we are easily traced anyway.

I am a definite no.
My instinct so far.

Reminds me far too much of all the war films of 2nd world war I watched, when young. <shivers emoji>

The only times they've been introduced in the UK was in relation to conscription (both WW1 & WW2).
How near WW3 are we.

It will take years. What will happen to the many, mainly elderly, who doubt have a smart phone? And it will cost billions.

fancythat

I am a definite no.
My instinct so far.

Reminds me far too much of all the war films of 2nd world war I watched, when young. <shivers emoji>

I've lived with an I D card in France for a long time
rarely / like never have been asked to produce it. I do use
it from time to time for official paperwork but even that
not often. These war time memories are ridiculous,.
It was wartime for heavens sake.

I would be happy to use one.

I'm 64 REKA, don't have a smart 'phone and don't want one.
Happy to carry an actual card though.

I’m all for them, I think (in an ideal world!) they will all be on the one app GG13.
I just wish the process we have didn’t take so long, ‘consultation’ how many years?
We had to carry our passports in Françe when we lived there for months, a ID card would’ve been ideal.

What kind of constructive discussion do you hope to have by labelling people on the other side of debate as tin hat brigade.

I’m fine with having one. I do hope they join it all up together though so it doesn’t become yet another thing that has to be renewed every five years or whatever.

As soon as I hear the word 'brigade' I glaze over.

I don't know what to think about ID cards. I think they could be useful, but wouldn't want them to be linked to health or financial information, and I assume they would be, sooner or later. Name, address, DOB NI and passport number - that sort of thing is fine, and is readily available anyway, but more than that could be dangerous. I'd need more information before deciding if I approve or not.

Also, would people be charged for them? I wouldn't want to see them free for some if others have to pay, and nor would I want to see anyone suffer hardship to get one.

Every part of my life is on some computer somewhere so I can’t see that an ID card is a problem. And if it can deal with some of the less than legal activity, well, all to the good. Far too late to raise a Big Brother type of objection.

Can you explain how they physically work please?

It seems to me that they are on a persons smartphone. If that is the case - a lot of people (including me) will not actually be able to have one anyway - as we don't have smartphones.

Even if the Government bought me a smartphone - they'd be wasting their money - as I've tried and one does have to have a more "technical" type mind to be able to learn to use them. I haven't - I've got a type of mind I actually prefer and find more useful overall (ie what I call an "umbrella mind" - meaning I take in the overall picture and make connections that I know a lot of other people wouldnt do).

It's not an intelligence thing either - as my erstwhile brother could use them - but I can't and I'm 50 IQ points higher than him. So, I'd expect that if only one of us could use one it would be me - but it ain't. Technology has to be VERY simple for me to be able to use it.

So I won't be having a smartphone and I would not dream of having a "chip" inserted in me = they'd have to have a death wish to try pushing that on me.

So how do people like me have identity cards then? Does the government shrug their shoulders and accept I'd have to be given a physical card I could haul out of my purse - eg something similar to a credit card? Because a "credit card" type thing or physical paper are literally the only ways I could have this...

I don't have any issues with this. Apparently Canada is working on a system as well, but no date for roll-out.

In BC our drivers' licenses act as ID; they also include your provincial health care number. But so far these are physical cards, not digital. I suppose the risk for security breach is there, but those savvy enough can get the info from various other systems currenlty.

I think allocating to older people will be a low priority when ID cards come into force, they will be aiming to capture those of working age first I would guess. By the time they are introduced for over 70s, in I’m guessing 7 or 8 years time), the majority of people will be smartphone savvy, as it is a generational issue, I don’t know anybody under 70 who doesn't use a smartphone.

You either have a credit card or an app on your phone. Maybe credit card type best, in order to obtain jobs, bank accounts, wages etc. it will more than pay for itself. It needs facial recognition, etc. Just as we have rules for money laundering we need this as much. So no card, no access.

, thum prints

Good points Casdon I’m 70 and have had a mobile, then smart phone, since the late 90’s.

I think Tony Blair is going to make a lot of money from this, or so I’ve read.

I had to laugh. My cousin just messaged me “so rubber boats of unknowns turn up on the shores and as a taxpayer suddenly I'm the problem? Foxtrot Oscar.”

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I had to laugh. My cousin just messaged me “so rubber boats of unknowns turn up on the shores and as a taxpayer suddenly I'm the problem? Foxtrot Oscar.”

I assume your cousin realises that ID cards will make it more difficult for "unknowns" to stay under the radar.

Am all for ID cards, most European countries have had them for ages.

I heard a politician on the radio saying she would be happier if I.D. cards were voluntary. Unfortunately I missed the beginning of the item so I don't know who she was, but I wonder how useful she thinks a voluntary card would be, and who might refuse to have one....

I’ve done a 180 degree turn on ID cards. I used to be against them but now that every man and his dog seems to hold information about me, just having one card to cover the lot seems useful.

Medical matters are something that will need to be handled carefully, of course. Being able to produce a card/phone app (I assume both will be offered initially) would be so much better than having to show passports/notified documents/proof of Council Tax payments etc to prove who you are to banks and so on.