I am a man not a number
12-May-2008
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I am a man not a number

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Hello, citizen number 20-29178 here.  Have you ever wondered how much of your personal data is stored electronically?  Probably not, however you really should consider it.

Since the explosion of the Internet and online services for almost every product you could possibly want it is increasingly difficult to feel like an individual rather than an entry on a database.  My gripe is this, what is actually done with all this information collected by banks, insurance companies, and any other service you subscribe to?  Is there anyone watching over the actions of these people?

With billions of separate pieces of data...

Of course people will shout about the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, but in reality with billions of separate pieces of data sitting on an array of servers somewhere (and probably not even in this country), what organisation could possibly cope with the sheer amount of data being harvested and hoarded away?

For instance when my car insurance is due for renewal, company’s I asked for a quote several years ago send me a letter offering me insurance with them; an automatically triggered letter sent to an entry on their database at a set time.  I often receive unwanted phone calls around the same time from other insurance companies indicating that this information is shared between all the insurance groups and somehow they have got my phone number.

We are already on the cusp of the urban nightmare as predicted in the George Orwell novel 1984.  I am genuinely concerned that this information is being used to exploit and manipulate us at every turn.  As the advert for car tax dodgers said “You cannot escape the computer” which is horrifying true, and all this is done under the cover of being able to offer better services, better products, reducing fraud or just about any other line that they think the public will swallow.

But consider this the Valuation office – an executive agency of the Inland Revenue which values every domestic property in the country has a database containing information and in some cases digital images of the private houses.  They also have a complete history of property transactions, all very tempting and extremely sought after information by marketing companies and the like.  Do you really trust the government to hold all of this data and not sell it on or make available to other government agencies?

In short we are tracked, monitored and watched every day and this information is squirreled away to be used against you.  With the current advancements in technology what will it be like in ten or twenty year’s time?  Why should we allow ourselves to be exploited in this way, and is it too late stop the “cyber-harvesters”?

By: Citizen: 20-29178

Hungry for more information?

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 - A little bit of light bedtime reading for those who are interested and have a lot of patience.

George Orwell's 1984 – Big brother is watching you.  Sadly the phrase “Big Brother” will forever be associated with that cheesy Channel 4 show.  Here’s a thought provoking page with some interesting George Orwell links that may help to dispell the mystery.


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Have already posted on the gripe about us heading towards a police state, but wanted to say that all the people who blithely say "if you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to fear" are burying their heads in the sand.
I work for a smallish company & paid our corporation tax on time last year. Since than I have had two letters threatening fines for not paying it on time, plus a personal visit from someone from the tax office wanting to collect the money! Every time I tell them when we paid, & they look it up & find that I am right; but this doesn't stop them the next time!
This is just one personal example: what about all the data that keeps being lost & the total ineffiency of public bodies & large companies? (This country is still great at one thing; no-one does total incompetence like we do!)
Do you really want to trust your personal details to people who can't look after them?
Lives of people who had done nothing wrong have already been ruined by mistakes made by others in positions in authority.
*grumpyoldwoman  23-Apr-2008 09:02

 
Should we so readily accept this barrage of required information in order to trade? The beastly number. All this automation and required information that is in place, is fitting in perfectly with the notorious "man's number" three sixes that revelation warns us of. First six: (Oneself)date of birth always expressed as a six figure. Second six: (ones bank) sort-code. Not sure yet of the third, but I believe it will be to do with tax, possibly the number part of NI number, but not sure if this is accurate. However, once we can be identified by our unique set of numbers, this will become the only way of remaining in society, and if you cannot identify yourself with these numbers, you will become an outcast and a criminal by default. I think we ought to be aware of this system and its potential. Soon there will be no cash, we are being groomed into accepting a safe and secure system. I think not so safe!
*Anonymous  02-Aug-2007 11:20

 
Opinions, insecurities, your bank number, your sexuality. Emotional details, they're more personal, everyone has those other things.
*Six Nine  15-Jul-2007 17:39

 
Six nine - what exactly would you call personal then if none of this is to you?
*Non existent  28-Mar-2007 21:52

 
If that information is personal to you you're a bit a of a loser.
*Six Nine  22-Mar-2007 19:14

 
Not that "personal", Eh?

Information being shared.

How often you shop, where, what you buy?
What kind of car do you own, where do you fill up with petrol?
Are you insured?
How old are you?
Are you married?
What insurances do you have?
How much do you earn?
Where do you live?
Your name.
Who do bank with?
What credit cards do you have?
Do you have a mortgage?
What is the value of your house?
Are you kids at school?
What are their ages?
What are your qualifications?
What is your medical condition?

I could go on and on. I don't know if these could count as "personal".

Get real, these people know more about me and my life than I do myself.
*Personality  09-Mar-2007 11:30

 
I am being serious, the information that is being shared is not that personal, get a life.

"In the hands of the wrong kind of government, someone could be knocking at your door at 3am, taking you to an extermination camp. A database simplifies their task."

How often does that happen exactly?

It's a big world out there and you're less than a billionth of it, you've always been a number, it makes things easier and quicker for everyone, learn to accept that.
*Six Nine  09-Mar-2007 08:41

 
Storing the wrong information about you could damage your credit, your potential opportunities, your whole life.

In the hands of the wrong kind of government, someone could be knocking at your door at 3am, taking you to an extermination camp. A database simplifies their task
*Be careful with your info  05-Mar-2007 16:16

 
Its not the phone calls that bother me its the fact that personal information has been "sold" on to other companies.
*Citizen: 20-29178  05-Mar-2007 15:17

 
Six nine shup up. You are clearly not being serious you absolute MORON. GO AWAY
*Your Mother  02-Mar-2007 09:25

 
"...this information is being used to exploit and manipulate us at every turn." Please do give more examples than just a few 'unwanted phone calls' you recieved from insurance companies.

You are blowing things out of proportion, storing information stops crime. If you don't have anything to hide it shouldn't bother you.
*Six Nine  23-Feb-2007 09:31

 
Wow, that is really an amazing story. I always feel a bit awkward when I have to fill in a form with my national insurance number on it. I got one of those cards when I left school, but over the years I lost it and I have this niggling doubt - I wonder if I have been filling in the correct number all these years, what if I've accidentally got it wrong and it has stuck!

I'm sure I'll find out when I retire and discover I'm a person Non-Grata.
*I think I'm paranoid  19-Feb-2007 23:44


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