Deadline For Saying "No" To National ID 284
cnet-declan writes "If you don't like the idea of a federalized ID card, you have only have an hour left to let Homeland Security know your thoughts: the deadline to file comments on the Real ID Act is 5:00 pm EDT on Tuesday. Probably the best place to do that is a Web site created by an ad hoc alliance called the Privacy Coalition (they oppose the idea, but if you're a big Real ID fan you can use their site to send adoring comments too). Alternatively, Homeland Security has finally seen fit to give us an email address that you can use to submit comments on the Real ID Act. Send email to oscomments@dhs.gov with 'Docket No. DHS-2006-0030' in the Subject: line. Here's some background on what the Feds are planning."
International disquiet (Score:2, Interesting)
I fail to see... (Score:4, Interesting)
Reagan (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Actually I Support A National ID (Score:5, Interesting)
Sure... you want to be ID'd where ever you go, automatically, with who knows what information available to the teller, toll both operator, merchant, insurance agent, and anyone who hacks into the system just because you walked close to them and your RFID burped. You want someone to be able to clone your RFID tag and walk through a crime scene a few times, thus "establishing" that you were at the scene of the crime. Sure you do. You're all about being identified, right?
That's why you post anonymously.
Sometimes I wonder if we ought to take a hint from the Spartans.
Before you have your day, consider the alternative (Score:5, Interesting)
The thing is "Papers, please" is a quaint, obsolete phrase. In fact the problem is not people looking at your ID, the problem is that event being recorded in a database to produce a picture of your movements.
If there were a national id that was secure and could be validated without hooking up to a national database, there would actually be less government intrusion into our privacy than if they data mine information from drivers databases and track you secretly.
You're so right. (Score:3, Interesting)
If everyone went out and got a passport, this would be a non-issue, so that raises the question for me: have those people complaining the loudest about this ever held one? It seems scarcely any different and I don't know many people with valid passports who get entirely big-brother about it. It's just a global reality and not a terribly ominous one at that.
Re:Reagan (Score:3, Interesting)
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Re:Actually I Support A National ID (Score:3, Interesting)
With our SSN, we could all create a private key. By using something like the credit card networks, ID boxes could be put in stores -- or wherever you wanted to identify a person.
A person would enter their SSN into the box. They would use their "check pin" -- with the Check pin and the public SSN, they would get a response code which would verify that this was a secure connection (whatever they choose to have their response be) -- then they would enter in their password. The Vendor, would just receive a time-stamped verification that said; John Doe is authorized to act on behalf of John Doe -- coupled with a picture ID of any sort.
If anyone else uses your SSN -- they don't have the password. If someone gets that -- you go through a simple face-to-face visit at a bank or some authorized ID place, and submit a new password.
>> Wow. Gee --look! I solved the whole crisis, with just using telephone lines and a new system to just add a password to the SSN system and use common Public/Private Key techniques. A thousand Slashdotters could solve this dilemma -- so how come we have such an insipid, expensive, stupid National ID from BushCo and the Poodle-fascist in England? Perhaps we just need to jump ahead and get chipped or barcoded. Then only authorized criminals will get to steal our retirement funds.
A National ID does nothing to resolve someone stealing your ID. Does nothing to prevent anything -- but it does a great job of keeping track of the average joe, or allowing an overbearing government to oppress people. Just like that stinking "do not fly list."
I have yet to see one example -- even ONE, where this administration has done something that benefitted me. They take great pride and probably pass around the cigars every time the come up with another clever way to cheat Americans. I would sooner trust the random stranger on the train than ANYONE in this criminal enterprise in Washington.
Re:Why wait to the last minute to post this? (Score:1, Interesting)
You can only blame Bush so much when the democrats do so much to destroy themselves. Hell Clinton is the front runner for 2008? Obama is slightly better but no track record, and Gore who everyone seems to want lost last time he ran to what everyone seemed to think is a boob. And that was before we knew Gore loves to throw tantrums instead of being a good sport. Those are the proposed alternatives to who ever the republicans put up. Notice the word alternatives. I'll get back to this.
As for this situation the Real ID, why are you against it. And if you tell me it's because you want privacy I'll give you a shack out in the middle of nowhere. Want to be part of any community or country you're going to be giving up some freedoms.
Worried about Identity theft? Oh right because that's what the media runs tons of stories about and doesn't give statistics about how rare it happens. Guess what? Work on getting safeguards around that rather then bitching about the ID system itself.
I hear about 100 complaints from people about all sorts of crap but no one is ever offering an actual alternative. With Bush you had Kerry, Bush won. Sorry if you wanted Clinton/Gore/Mccain or any other politician to win but you had 2 (or a few more) choices. Want to stop the Real ID act? Have a proposal about what to do instead of it? So far I haven't heard any real options other than "just keep doing the same shit that gives anyone a visa, and any illegal immegrant a ID." Oh wait that's fine by some people.
Re:International disquiet (Score:3, Interesting)
I care because totalitarianism is insidious.
I care because the state is our servant, not our master.
And I do not have to tell you good folks that it will be expensive, and it will be insecure, and it will not prevent crime or terror or social disintegration.
I care, becase it won't work - and it is dangerous.
For a list of ountries with compulsory identity cards, go HERE [wikipedia.org] I think you find that none of them are run by Bush.
Re:Why wait to the last minute to post this? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Actually I Support A National ID (Score:5, Interesting)
Which is really kind of funny, because (a) I wrote this [slashdot.org] and every time I point it out, I don't get mod points for many months in a row, and (b) one of the editors regularly and systematically mods down my posts, easily detected when I have a series of posts over several stories, over several days, sometimes highly rated, sometimes just at 1, then over the course of five minutes, I'll lose 10-15 points across multiple stories; clearly someone with more than 5 points to "spend" has had themselves a little "abuse party." As the "editors" brag [slashdot.org], they have unlimited mod points, and they aren't afraid to use them.
Personally, I browse at -1 because there aren't enough positive mod points to raise up all the reasonable posts and because there are tons of good posts that get moderated down as a matter of commentary, rather than because they are actually bad posts. As far as I am concerned the moderation system just barely manages to make itself felt as commentary, less effectively than digg's does, and it is absolutely useless as a criteria of which messages to read.
Let me say, however, that I take your comment as a complement and I thank you for saying so.
Are you reluctant to register your disapproval? (Score:3, Interesting)