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A glimpse of national ID card enforcement

University of Westminster shows the way in ID card enforcement! This university's marketing slogan is most revealing - "educating for a professional life", they say. With a basic principle of compulsory carrying of cards, a 'three strikes' policy to deny you entry to premises & services if you forget your card, and making it a disciplinary offence if you refuse to show one, this kind of education will most certainly be invaluable for future life if the government gets away with introducing its national ID policy.

Just look at these extract from the University of Westminster ID card page:

http://www.wmin.ac.uk/page-1249
It gives an impression of a mini-state gone mad with power. Actually many universities are like mini-states... but that's another story. But this should be a lesson of things to come if there is no effective revolt against ID cards and databases.

Basic principles

*Students and staff must carry ID card at all times whilst on University premises.
*Entry to the university can be denied if you are not carrying your ID card - a three strikes policy is in operation.
*The ID card remains the property of the University and must be relinquished to security staff if requested.

Discplinary Offences

*Do not allow anyone else to use your ID card. To do so is a discplinary offence and will be reported to your Head of School. Your card may be temporarily confiscated.
*ID cards must be shown on request to any University member of staff when requested. Refusal to do so is a discplinary offence.

Want to do something about ID cards and other repressive laws?

*** Join the Defy-ID grassroots campaign network ***

Two important events are listed on the Defy-ID web-site:

http://www.defy-id.org.uk
- the London anarchist bookfair on Oct 21 and a national Defy-ID gathering on Nov 25.

little brother
Homepage: http://www.nottingham-defy-id.org.uk

Additions

National ID card offences - already in place

19.10.2006 15:03

New offences under the ID Cards Act include the following (at least correct just before Bill was passed):
*refusal to obey an order to register = £2500
*failure to submit to fingerprinting and biometric scanning = £2500
*failure to provide information demanded by the government = £2500
*failure to attend an interview at a specified place and time = £2500
*failure to notify authorities about a lost, stolen, damaged or defective card = up to 1yr in prison and/or a fine
*failure to renew a card = £1000
*failure to attend subsequent fingerprinting and biometric scanning when demanded = £1000
*failure to provide subsequent information when demanded = £1000
*failure to attend subsequent interview at specified place and time when demanded = £1000
*failure to notify authorities of any change in personal circumstances (including change of address) = £1000
*providing false information = up to 2 years and/or a fine

More and upto date info:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/20060015.htm#aofs

not a number

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

When Freedom is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Be free

19.10.2006 23:35

scariest of all in the long run is 'failure to attend an interview' - with whom? - some little faceless state apparatchik who will decide if you are a 'Good Citizen' and then have the unchallenged right to 'delete from records' and make you a non-person for not wanting to be either a subject or an object of the state - and the process will either make your life so difficult that you won't be able to buy stuff or even visit the library - or it will take all your time in appeals that you won't have time to oppose their increasingly stupid, de-humanising, paranoid view of the world

Optimist

University facilities are being denied to the 'general public'

20.10.2006 12:14

It's also the case that previously anyone could go to university libraries and even lectures without having to say who you were. You only needed a card if you wanted to borrow. Many libraries that had this free access now have barrier that you have to swipe or access with an RFID card to get in. Is this a result of fees? It now seems you can only get access to knowledge if you pay for it.

The internet is another matter, however, with some publishers even going as far making journals etc. available for free online. This has partly come from increased competition since publishers are increasingly dependent on 'impact ratings' which increase if more people access, and therefore are likely to cite, a particular journal. One university in USA (MIT) is aiming to make all course material free as well, although this means you can only access material as an individual - i.e. not interact with other 'students'. Their 'added value' is therefore access to the teaching rather than access to learning material. The approach of British universities to deny physical access by means of ID cards negates these initiatives to a great extent.

Will social areas like students unions also become student-only with these cards?

This example indicates how the ID state of the furture could be used to deny access to physical areas you are not specifically entitled to be in - a very serious attack on freedom and one that which will contribute to further division between the haves and have nots based on money and privilege.

lib ed

UK Indymedia