Last year I wrote an article entitled "Hackers Crack UK's National ID Card in 12 Minutes" at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/08/hackers-crack-uks-national-id-card-in-12-minutes.html. Now the new UK Home Secretary Theresa May has announced a plan to scrap the national ID cards and the next generation of biometric passports that were so strongly promoted by the previous government.
The announcement points out that the national ID cards did not achieve the goals of reducing fraud, illegal immigration and identity theft but did infringe on privacy. Also, the program cost 800 million pounds per year but produced little in return.
The announcement points out that the national ID cards did not achieve the goals of reducing fraud, illegal immigration and identity theft but did infringe on privacy. Also, the program cost 800 million pounds per year but produced little in return.
You can read more in the BBC News web site at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8707355.stm
Is there a lesson here for the U.S. senators who have recently proposed a national identity card system for the U.S.?
