National ID system blessing or a curse?

EDITORIAL

The government is considering establishment of a national identification system in the country as a way to combat terrorism and systematize government dealings with citizens.

Presidential Spokesperson Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said,“I think it’s being considered, in other words, as far as I know, it’s being considered.”

Currently, the establishment of the Filipino National Identification System Bill is under study by the technical working group in the Lower House, while in Senate it is still pending at the justice and human rights committee.

Other nations are either considering or have implemented a national ID standard. Privacy International, a British watchdog group estimates over 100 countries use national ID systems. Denmark issues numbers at birth, and continues accumulating personal data during the course of a lifetime.

PI says European countries like France and Italy adopted this practice and do not appear to suffer from the “invasion” of privacy. There are examples worth noting about national IDs used to facilitate established practices of racial or ethnic oppression.

South Africa’s Apartheid era used pass books dictating where blacks were allowed to travel. Post-9/11 survey by Time/CNN showed Americans supporting the systematic stop and identification of Arab-Americans. These are examples of how not to use the ID, thoughtful planning and applications avoids this, according to proponents.

Human rights groups’ resist a national ID due to perceived intrusion to privacy and as a matter of security. In the most literal sense, you have the right to be left alone. But then again, if you travel by plane, train, or automobile, being “left alone” isn’t a reality.

Attempts to argue the privacy invasion factor are made by the same people applying and using credit cards for extra airline miles, using PayPal for E-bay purchases and paying bills online. Not to mention they are Tweeting or Facebooking their every move with geotagging information.

National ID proponents say credit cards link to a database much more powerful and personally revealing than any current or proposed national information capture system.

If you paid for something like that out-of-town room for “business,” it’s recorded on your card. And about those smartphones broadcasting to the globe where you are and what you are up to? Some people are not averse to giving up their individual information freedoms but others won’t give up that easily.

The latter say personal information could be used against them if the government would hold the data base. They argue politicians could use the System against each other or the people, the military could use it against perceived communists, crooks could use it to rob, kill rape or smear people and many more. 

 National ID System anyone?