Collecting information about people has been an ongoing practice since the
beginning of civilization. Many early cultures the ancient
Babylonians, the Chinese, the Greeks and Romans kept extensive files
on their citizens. New immigrants to North America were routinely asked
for their date of birth, first language, previous occupation, and other
details.
Today, data about many aspects of our lives is collected and stored from
the moment we're born. When we go to the doctor, change schools, have a
car accident, get a job details are recorded throughout our lives.
When this information is organized or structured, it can help to monitor
how a population behaves. Social insurance numbers, permanent voters'
lists and "Smart Cards" all started as simple data management systems.
(Smart Cards are similar to Social Insurance Number (SIN) cards, but able
to hold much more information. Their uses are discussed at length on the
the Smart Cards site of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of
Ontario.) The SIN card itself came into use in 1964 as a way to distribute
Canada Pension Plan and unemploymen insurance benefits. Today, it's
impossible to get a job or open a bank account without a SIN.
Picture yourself going to work tomorrow, handing over blood and urine
samples, taking a quick turn with the house polygraph, turning out your
pockets and walking through some new fluoroscope. You object?
Whatsamatter, you got something to hide?
With advances in computer technologies, the types of data that can be
collected, and are being collected, increase. One example is the recent
interest in using genetic information as a way to identify people. In New
York State, all welfare beneficiaries must be fingerprinted (the idea was
much talked about in Canada); and many states in the U.S. allow state
officials to take DNA samples from convicted felons. Another genetic
identification system is based on the length of, and distance between, the
fingers on your hand. In a program being piloted in Canada, international
travellers will be issued a smart card that records these unique hand
measurements. Each time these travellers pass through customs, they
present the card and place their hand in a reader that verifies their
identity and links into numerous databases.
When so much personal information about us can be accessed by
sophisticated computer systems, the issue of privacy arises. Are we
creating a more efficient system in which basic services are available
to all, or a surveillance state in which our every deed is monitored?
The concept of privacy implies independence within a structured group. A
vast store of personal data kept by the government may imply a loss of
privacy. How much does the government need to know in order to serve its
citizens properly? Is there a limit to how much information should and can
be collected?
It is difficult for governments to strike a balance between allowing
citizens to live autonomously, and running an equal and organized
society. Citizens with a high level of autonomy find it much easier to
break the rules: not paying taxes, commiting crimes, entering a country
illegally. As a result, society suffers at the expense of individual
privacy. Conversely, if society as a whole is considered more important
than the individuals who make it up, other dangers arise. When governments
keep track of all aspects of its citizens' lives to ensure that nobody
breaks the rules, one of the most fundamental human rights freedom, is
eliminated.
**********************************************************************
Comments on this issue are welcome. E-mail: PvtConcern@aol.com
**********************************************************************
Privacy Concerns is a free public service of, D. A. H. Investigative
Consultants, a Cincinnati based private investigation firm. E-mail:
DAHPI@aol.com or, toll free 1-888-249-2404.
**********************************************************************
Please take a moment to visit our list of professional private
investigators.
**********************************************************************
Your Privacy Was Meant To Remain Private.
Keep It That Way With Evidence Eliminator.
Protect Your Privacy And Your Rights
Evidence Eliminator
Investigative Services
Return To Privacy Concerns
