Passports required to buy Pay-as-you-go mobile phones.

[Traxata]

This doesn't really concern people who buy contract phones, as they've already signed a contract with their details on it, and filed away. However, sometime in the next year, the government plan to introduce a law which states that people who buy pay-as-you-go phones, have to show their passport, or another valid form of ID

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4969312.ece


Thoughts?

 

[thatbloke]

This will make it much more difficult for non-specialist mobile phone vendors to sell phones (places like argos, supermarkets, etc.).

Showing my ID isn't a problem.

The problem I have is that it is possible that as part of this a massive database of all mobile phones (72 million according to the slashdot post I read) will be created and used for tracking people.

 

[Traxata]

It only matters for UK phones, sim cards don't seem to be covered, and foreign mobiles can be used easily, so what exactly is the point...

 

[BiG D]

The problem I have is that it is possible that as part of this a massive database of all mobile phones (72 million according to the slashdot post I read) will be created and used for tracking people.

Aren't you guys used to being tracked basically all the time? I agree that it sucks, but this is really one of the least intrusive things you have to deal with, no?

 

[Haven]

Skype and Voip phones are the future. Fuck the system!

 

[shazam]

with nothing to hide you have nothing to hide from? proberly a quote from the gov but i made it up. have no problem with id cards, cctv, tracking my where abouts, do have problems with criminals pedos immigrants and council scumbags conning the system, if by tracking any of these denies one scrounger or pedo the chance to break the law im happy for it in fact im with it? and also this could result in the police tracking people that use pay as you go phones as a harrasment tool, with no means of being traced. so yeah think thats about it

 

[BiG D]

with nothing to hide you have nothing to hide from? proberly a quote from the gov but i made it up. have no problem with id cards, cctv, tracking my where abouts

That's a frightening attitude. If you have nothing to hide, then you don't mind cameras being installed in every room in your house?

Edit: But like I said above, I think the phone thing is pretty weak surveillance. You think the register-biscuit selling you the phone has training to detect fake ID's?

Haven: Does paying for Skype (in order to make it function like a phone) not leave exactly the same sort of paper trail?

 

[SgtFury]

If you look at the way Iphone uses your phone to do GPS, you are already being tracked and probably have "some" info assigned to it already.

I think the probable reason behind this is to prevent "Disposable" phones by unruly characters (yes probably watched too many films) but they will prob have means for fake ids anyway...... the only one who gets screwed is the normal person.

 

[Haven]

with nothing to hide you have nothing to hide from?

Cool toss me your address and credit card details then. Unless you've something to hide that is ?

 

[Haven]

Haven: Does paying for Skype (in order to make it function like a phone) not leave exactly the same sort of paper trail?

You can pay with paypal, you can setup paypal with fake details. You leave a call trail but thats all. Same deal with VoIP subscription.

Alternatively skype to skype and voip to voip can be done for free with no trail other than a network one.

 

[BiG D]

You can pay with paypal, you can setup paypal with fake details. You leave a call trail but thats all. Same deal with VoIP subscription.

Paypal needs to be linked to a credit card or bank account, no? Or am I just doing it wrong?

 

[Traxata]

No, doesn't need to be at all
You need those to become a verified paypal account, or something, I've still not done that.
Though you'd have to get funds into it another way...

 

[Haven]

You can do a lot with a non verified account - I'm pretty sure creating a valid and using it to transfer funds to an invalid would work.

But I've not really put that much thought into it as I use free voip systems.

 

[shazam]

Cool toss me your address and credit card details then. Unless you've something to hide that is ?

yeah np dont have credit cards but have bank cards pop down to my house and you can see them , ps my house is where i live, if you are a important person such as police or council you already have these details so your welcome, if your not on of these people and you are just a civilian you have no need for these details and any use of these would be un just , so i have nothing to hide from anyone that has a need to know it, as from people that dont need to know it, well you dont need to know it, but living in a suravlance state as far as i can see can only be good for normal people with nothing to hide, privacy is a important right that should not be abbused but then i dont belive that the powers above want to see me dress in the morning, but if they do they are welcome to watch me not pretty but i think worth a peek

 

[Haven]

I'm not going to be mean on the forums But yes that information is readily available. Not least from the info you gave when signing up to the forums.

if you are a important person such as police or council you already have these details

Its nice to see someone still trusts authority. Those in power kind of rely on it.

 

[Xarlaxas]

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

The more right you give the government to invade your life the more they will take, it starts small but these are the sorts of things that result in police states, fascist juntas, purges and so on....

 

[VibroAxe]

If you look at the way Iphone uses your phone to do GPS, you are already being tracked and probably have "some" info assigned to it already.

Interesting thought, however the exact same stuff is already available on everysingle other phone (Cell tower location/history I mean) Just the iPhone is one of the first to make it available to the end user!

 

[SgtFury]

That was what i was meaning Vibs...... Iphone uses it the others just have it there.

 

[VibroAxe]

ahh i see, sorry, misunderstood

 

[waterproofbob]

I know I'm being watched, I can't remember the statistics on how many cameras are supposed to see the average citizen in a day or what have you but it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'd take issue if these measures started to effect me in some way. I know it's naive and also comes down to massive lethargy on my part, I'm really not that fussed. If I was able to get one ID card with all my details on I'd be happy to take it. And the cameras and stuff do make me feel safer and I do trust the police. I know there is a barrel of technologies that could pinpoint me through various means, especially with mobile phone location stuff. Again at this point in time this has not come back to bite me in the arse. It's naive irresponsible and lazy of me not to care more but I honestly don't. I don't feel restricted in what I can do and don't think I've ever felt that my liberties or freedom to do what I fancy doing have ever been particularly limited. So all in all I approve of people showing ID for things and showing an ID for a phone wouldn't phase me in the slightest.

Wow and I thought I was only going to type that it wouldn't bother me.