why not just barcode them, or use rfid implants under the skin, or tattoo "666" on their foreheads?

it ain't no joke.

"...including name, address, gender and a unique identifying number."

What about the implanted RFID-Tag number and DNA signature?

Don't need to barcode them. They're already being fingerprinted!!!

Not only that, some schools are talking about using an RFID-based login system. Not subdermal admittedly, but in the form of a badge sown into clothing or the like. Scanners all over the site to keep track of pupils.

All this is just horrific. The more I hear from these whacked out fascists, the more I want to find some isolated wee croft in the Highlands & Islands and have no further contact with these loonies. Don't give them any data. "Forget" to mention births, deaths, marriages etc. Accidently neglect to inform them of addresses for tax reasons. Take nothing from them nutjobs, and give nothing in return.

But then, that'd make me either a mad separatist, or a terrorist.

Till? 'Til?

Hmmm.... </pedant>

Why not - we do it to cats and dogs? Then the government can work out which kids are playing truant by using the networked readers they install on every lamppost and roadsign.

Of course after 60 years or so everyone will be tagged so we wont need those ID cards.

—Usage note

Till and until are both old in the language and are interchangeable as both prepositions and conjunctions: It rained till (or until) nearly midnight. The savannah remained brown and lifeless until (or till) the rains began. Till is not a shortened form of until and is not spelled 'till. 'Til is usually considered a spelling error, though widely used in advertising: Open 'til ten.

due to the way this goverment keeps messing up has made me feel like not having kids and i for one refuse to let them tag any child of mine so they can keep track of what we do.

our goverment needs to GTFO

Is this the kind of stake that can be used to terminate the minister responsible for this silly idea :=)

It'd make you several thousend pounds lighter, or in jail, under the current ID card plans.

Have you joined No2ID ? :-)

This would be somewhat justifiable if the authorities were able to make use of the data they already have in a useful manner.

I served on my local council for a number of years, and was on the housing committee. Time and again we would have an "urgent housing" request come on from the social services people at the county council. The reason: a youngster was turning 16 and therefore coming out of care, needing to be housed. Whatever your feelings about whether 16 year olds should be taking council flats, the fact that, time and again, Social Services were taken by surprise by a 16th birthday was as vexing as it was hilarious.

But lets not try to make people actually do their jobs, no we'll put in place "systems" which will also be taken by surprise by 16th birthdays, despite assembling the most potent honeypot for all classes of villains. I get so pissed off by the "safeguards will be put in place to prevent unauthorised access" mantra. Of course, it's never been known for someone with "authorised access" to misuse data, no siree.

All this "security review" will do is throw up a load of "recommendations" which gummint will then claim to have acted on, the action actually being to say "we have added useless safeguards" and doing nothing, just blundering on down the same path. Oh, and feed a few million quid into the pockets of another bunch of "IT Security Charlatans".

As I live abroad, can someone tell me if this 'child database' is to be compulsory?

And, does anyone know what the proposed penalty is for refusing to provide a child's details for inclusion in the database?

£40m in funding should be enough to buy some Verbatim blank CDs and whip off a few more copies of the database!

I'll even do it for them and charge them at Crapita/EDS/PwC rates!

I think they're missing the bank details. Unless that's included in the details of all organisations the child has had dealings with.

> As I live abroad, can someone tell me if this 'child database' is to be compulsory?

Not sure about the compulsory part (quite probably, though) - but it's certainly already covert. Witness reports of kids being coerced into providing fingerprints without reference to parents, so they can use the school library. (reported here on ElReg, IIRC)

Once upon a time a card provided by the teacher was enough for library use.

I suspect the child database is compulsory - by dint of the fact that in the UK you have to register a birth within six weeks. (A criminal offence not to, IIRC)

Of course, as with all licensing/registration requirements, in order to work it does rather rely on the non-law abiding being, errr, law abiding.

Rioting in the streets please, or at the very least more people donating to no2id.