Inbox: Brits baying for blood over ID

The weekly Inbox column collects the best and most thought-provoking of the reader comments silicon.com receives each week.

This week, ID cards were in the news yet again, this time with readers commenting on a story claiming the public isn't scared of biometrics – just the loss of personal info. Also getting a lot of attention was a story concerning the Lords asking whether there is any need for the super comms database. And last, a silicon.com exclusive interview with Ray Kurzweil prompted readers to reach for their keyboards.

Don't forget to post your own response to any of these stories or comments by posting a comment below.

Half of Brits willing to give blood to prove identity
Brits appear to be in favour of using biometrics technology and even their blood in order to protect their personal information and identity.

Scare tactics
"Norton added the UK hasn't yet got to the point where there is an informed debate about how biometrics technology is used"

That's because scare tactics are much more effective for the government's aims, a scared electorate does what it's told, when it's told and doesn't ask awkward questions.

So get ready for more "it's to stop crime/terrorism/stealing from you/harm to the kiddies" fear making announcements from the Home Secretary designed to stop you trusting anyone but the government.
Karen Challinor, UK

Government server - hands off my data!
I don't care what biometrics are held on a card I possess as long as none are held on any government server!
Chris Anderson, Colchester

"It is not that magical solution to fraud or identity theft!"
Fingerprint for IDs, i.e. biometrics, is only seen to be opposed by people who are dishonest or are on the edge of dishonesty. For example, if a bank has your fingerprint to say that it is you withdrawing funds, but you commit a crime, like robbery, murder, assault you can be caught, for the majority who are honest, that is not a worry or an issue.

But is it 100% safe against criminals hacking and changing data? No it isn't. Biometrics is a way of safeguarding against fraud but it is not that magical solution to fraud or identity theft, not on its own. But in combination it can be a vital fight against it. It opens a Pandora's box of issues on morality, consent, legality, human rights to name a few. Then there is the logistics of implementing anything like this.
Paul Wilson, Kent

False positives
The biggest problem with biometrics as I see it and that rarely gets aired, is the issue of false positives and false negatives and what will actually happen when the scan of your fingerprint does not match with the one held on file.

As a result I don't trust any form of biometric system, simply because if you get a false negative, and "The computer says 'No'" how else do you prove you are you when your biometric data has been rejected.
Guy Reynolds, Letchworth

Worse than it seems
Guy Reynolds' point is good but the problem is worse than it seems. If biometrics are to be used for a government-backed scheme, then one has to ask, what will be the administrative consequences of 1) having the system in the first place and 2) of a false match?

Multiple biometrics make those unanswered questions harder. More modes means more cost to organisations using the scheme and more complicated processes for everyone involved. Using multiple modes at the same time increases the chances that at least one will produce a false match. What will happen with conflicting answers? Bureaucratic systems do not generally cope well with doubt.
Guy Herbert, London

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Lords: 'Do we really need £12bn super comms database?'
The Lords have questioned the value of a '£12bn super database' to collect all UK communications.

Taxpayer cost
The big database will not only cost a fortune to implement and run/maintain but it will also probably be insecure leading to people's personal communications being left in a taxi on a USB stick for anyone to read/sell or even worse...

What happened to innocent until proved guilty! If I'm innocent why are my phone, text and mail messages being recorded/stored at a cost to the tax payer? How much will it cost to store millions of texts stating what time you'll be home for dinner!
Richard Davies, North Yorkshire

Bugging
It would be more efficient simply to "bug" every home in the UK. Perhaps these bugs could be planted at the same time as "energy efficiency" measures were installed?

Thus solving the twin scourges of "global warming" and "terrorism"!
Richard, UK

Paying the price
The 'Public' will be consulted as to their wishes - as in: Would you like to blow into this machine now, or shall we go straight to the police station now.

You can try to get the 'post office' to deliver your completed paper returns by the end of this month, or you can try to get 'our' system to allow you to enter them 'electronically' by the end of the year. (You will be paying the tax anyhow!)
Anonymous, London

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Kurzweil: "Technology is a double-edged sword"
Inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil was ranked 14th in this year's silicon.com Agenda Setters list.

Where's the proof?
Um. "You can prove somebody is self aware?" How?

If you could do that we wouldn't need the Turing test. The Turing test isn't so ambitious. It will indicate intelligence. We hope that points to self aware but it's not *proof*.
Steve Garcia, California

Problem of definition
The soul isn't a material faculty, it is spiritual. Because he's unable to see the soul, he deduces: "Therefore it's an emerging property of a very complex system"?

How does he deduce it? I prefer to accept that it isn't at our sight, and that as the majority of humans believe in it, to accept it. Why not? Only scientists have the prerogative to speak about it?
Rui Barbosa, Lisbon

Science vs soul
He was more saying that what is commonly referred to as "Having a soul" might, more accurately, be called "possessing consciousness". He specifically notes that denoting soul is something we do but unrelated to hard science.
Kat Adams, NYC

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