General News Thread

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Paranoia; it's all paranoia.

 

Paranoia from authority that people might not be who they claim to be.

 

Paranoia from the people that authority that will abuse so much collective information.

 

Whatever happened to humanity?

Division, driven by lust for and abuse of power happened. 

 

A pernicious desire for inequality in the name of self interest, where one or more groups must always be "lesser".

 

Unfortunately it's happened rather a few times throughout history, and almost always ends the same way. 

 

This time, though, the scale is much, much larger than its ever been. 

[st albans fox]

There’s nothing wrong with a digital ID if it has a very limited amount of info about you on it.  If it’s a govt project then it will be hacked - companies have to take additional care with our data because they can be heavily fined for not having sufficient safeguards in place. Govt aren’t noted for this care and attention. 
the argument that we already have lots of things with our ID and photo on is fine if it becomes law to carry at least one of them with us at all times. 

 

perhaps govt are aware of the fact that out approach to this over the years has left us susceptible to bad actors taking advantage of this space. 

Edited 26 September 2025 by st albans fox

[Clogger_]

11 hours ago, Wymsey said:

As a deterrent.

Who knows what the people coming in have on them that could potentially affect safety etc.

Ah, so the army frisk people, like on the way into a ground? Reckon Showsec would do it for cheaper

 

Sorry if this sounds facetious... it's just that if there was an easy solution to "controlling" irregular migration we'd already be doing it

[Dahnsouff]

20 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Paranoia; it's all paranoia.

 

Paranoia from authority that people might not be who they claim to be.

 

Paranoia from the people that authority that will abuse so much collective information.

 

Whatever happened to humanity?

If you can say society instead of humanity, then it’s dissolving in the (self) interest of the individuals within it.

As stated, driven by division as a crook to steer our desires and self valuation.

[The Bear]

10 hours ago, Tommy G said:

I know you think it’s a big joke but it’s a sensitive subject for anyone who has dealings with family or friends that are autistic.

 

Using the word retarded aswell - are we going back 20 years? Thought better of you. 

You're right, apologies. I hadn't thought that one through. 

[The Bear]

I've no problem with a card that has minimal details on it and a photo. 

 

Basically the same as the driving license but for everyone, even those that don't drive. Carrying it wouldn't be mandatory but producing one on request within 7 days would.

 

Not sure that would ultinately work though. If you're not in the system then how would they find you to fine or prosecute you. 

 

Mandatory carrying is a slippery slope. May as well just tag people at birth with RFID chips like an animal. 

[kenny]

7 minutes ago, The Bear said:

I've no problem with a card that has minimal details on it and a photo. 

 

Basically the same as the driving license but for everyone, even those that don't drive. Carrying it wouldn't be mandatory but producing one on request within 7 days would.

 

Not sure that would ultinately work though. If you're not in the system then how would they find you to fine or prosecute you. 

 

Mandatory carrying is a slippery slope. May as well just tag people at birth with RFID chips like an animal. 

All 6 of our local barbers will go out of business. They won't even have the excuse of not carrying it as they all spend the day playing on their phones.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Surely making it something on your phone would also increase the incidence of phone theft?

 

Not to mention the fact that there's still a fair amount of people who don't have smart phones.

[Greg2607]

I don't see an issue with it.

 

It's intended as a proof of ID for work. 

 

You currently already have to produce a birth certificate, passport or driving licence as well as proof of address to secure employment in the UK.. 

 

this would remove the need to provide those documents, you'd just provide a share code (which is how people on VISA's prove right to work in the UK currently) and it's all taken care of. 

 

the world is now digitalised. Move with the times. 

 

OR buy in to the dystopian conspiracy theories and think that this will revoke access to food and starve us all for "not complying"...

[Dahnsouff]

It already exists https://www.citizencard.com

 

it will just become compulsory. 

 

Although it may need a rename, as the name has dubious connotations (if you have ever played Helldivers anyway)

[st albans fox]

Kneecap Hezbollah flag case thrown out on technicality 
 

something to do with six month time bar re Attorney General and DPP consent 

[The Guvnor]

On 22/09/2025 at 19:24, bovril said:

A very small part of me hopes reform get in and England sinks ever further into the miry depths. 

Can it get any worse, I fear it will over the next four years, this government seem rudderless with a weak leader who seems out of his depth with no substance to their fantasy politics.

 

[Super_horns]

Relying on technology- bound to go wrong somewhere !

Presumably this will be on our phones so if you don’t have one or use it much tough luck .

[ajthefox]

3 hours ago, Greg2607 said:

I don't see an issue with it.

 

It's intended as a proof of ID for work. 

 

You currently already have to produce a birth certificate, passport or driving licence as well as proof of address to secure employment in the UK.. 

 

this would remove the need to provide those documents, you'd just provide a share code (which is how people on VISA's prove right to work in the UK currently) and it's all taken care of. 

 

the world is now digitalised. Move with the times. 

 

OR buy in to the dystopian conspiracy theories and think that this will revoke access to food and starve us all for "not complying"...

I don't see why this is required and I think the purported reasoning behind this is questionable. "Because borders" is a wholly transparent narrative which is aiming to capitalise on/fight back against the recent swell of anti-immigration feeling. I don't buy it.

 

If people are here illegally or here legally but working illegally then what does an extra ID do? How will this stop people who are already working illegally and circumventing rules? 

 

Our world is becoming more dystopian by the day and every little chip away means something, even though some like the old boot licking "if you're not doing anything wrong why are you worried" line. This is probably a bit of a magnet for sensationalism/over-reaction, but you don't have to a conspiracy theorist buried in twitter non-sense to be sceptical of it.

[Greg2607]

1 minute ago, ajthefox said:

I don't see why this is required and I think the purported reasoning behind this is questionable. "Because borders" is a wholly transparent narrative which is aiming to capitalise on/fight back against the recent swell of anti-immigration feeling. I don't buy it.

 

If people are here illegally or here legally but working illegally then what does an extra ID do? How will this stop people who are already working illegally and circumventing rules? 

 

Our world is becoming more dystopian by the day and every little chip away means something, even though some like the old boot licking "if you're not doing anything wrong why are you worried" line. This is probably a bit of a magnet for sensationalism/over-reaction, but you don't have to a conspiracy theorist buried in twitter non-sense to be sceptical of it.

sure.... but people were also sceptical of the seat belt when that came in.... so..... 

 

not to forget the world was going to end when chip and pin came in.... I'd see people pretend to be putting the code to fort knox into the machine when it was first introduced. 

 

when the UK postal service was originally bought into service, there was a campaign against it as it would "allow governments to monitor the populations communications".... 

 

Most alarmist reaction is over reaction to change.    Not ALL, I'll grant you that.... but we aren't China for goodness sake, or North Korea. 

 

 

[Free Falling Foxes]

If I'm an unscrupulous employer who currently doesn't ask too many (if any) questions before giving a cash in hand, pittance of a payment to vulnerable people wishing to work, I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't ask to see their digital ID either.

[kenny]

2 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

If I'm an unscrupulous employer who currently doesn't ask too many (if any) questions before giving a cash in hand, pittance of a payment to vulnerable people wishing to work, I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't ask to see their digital ID either.

It will be easy for border control and the police to ask for the ID of employees they suspect are working illegally though. Im sure they have a list of potential suspects at various visible and less visible businesses.

 

[davieG]

If it's intended as id proof to work why will it need to be compulsorily? Retired people generally don't work and many don't have a phone I don't understand the logic behind it.

[orangecity23]

The worst part of the digital ID is the potential target for cyber criminals. Sticking everyone's most important personal data into one place with widely used external access to check it is a giant target for crims. How long until the government is apologising when the entire countries personal data is stolen?

 

The "oh, it's just for checking if people are immigrants/ok to start jobs" line rings a bit hollow as well, given the government has already rolled out legislation that means we now have to produce our ID to access filthy adult websites such as *checks notes* Reddit, Spotify or cycling forums.

[Zear0]

34 minutes ago, orangecity23 said:

The worst part of the digital ID is the potential target for cyber criminals. Sticking everyone's most important personal data into one place with widely used external access to check it is a giant target for crims. How long until the government is apologising when the entire countries personal data is stolen?

 

The "oh, it's just for checking if people are immigrants/ok to start jobs" line rings a bit hollow as well, given the government has already rolled out legislation that means we now have to produce our ID to access filthy adult websites such as *checks notes* Reddit, Spotify or cycling forums.

This government didn't roll out that legislation. 

[orangecity23]

4 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

This government didn't roll out that legislation. 

Didn't design it, that was the Conservatives, but carried it on anyways. Point being, we've just introduced one piece of legislation that requires lots more online checking of personal information than before, that has been done in a poorly thought through manner, affecting vast swathes of the internet more than what was promoted as the reason for the new laws.

 

Now we are adding to that with a new digital ID, is there anything from past experience to indicate this legislation will be properly thought through, and the system designed will be extremely robust, and carefully designed to protect personal information? Or will it be as poorly thought through and implemented as the online age checking was? Given today's Guardian article states that the government believes the system will be cost effective and some of the development will be done in house, my money would be on whatever they produce being not up to the task, especially given the idea that it will be so widely used just makes it a bigger target and leads to more potential avenues of cyber attack. We've seen repeatedly that personal data is not safe with large corporations, or UK government departments. Cyber criminals will target them and steal it. This is creating the biggest, fattest golden goose of a target for them.

[st albans fox]

Trump thinks he has a deal in Gza

please 🤞

 

If it’s true then it will be greta wot dun it ……..

[Jattdogg]

44 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Trump thinks he has a deal in Gza

please 🤞

 

If it’s true then it will be greta wot dun it ……..

.....Maybe he will finally get his knobbell peice prize....

[Free Falling Foxes]

2 hours ago, kenny said:

It will be easy for border control and the police to ask for the ID of employees they suspect are working illegally though. Im sure they have a list of potential suspects at various visible and less visible businesses.

 

I think you'll find that any such individuals approached by the police/border force, will have had their wallet and/or card and/or phone 'stolen' that very morning so are unable to prove their status.

 

[Trav Le Bleu]

Interesting point made by a radio presenter interviewing a government minister today 

 

This is a scheme that will affect 10s of millions of people to stop several 10k of people each year.

 

Sledgehammer to crack a walnut.