UK Big Brother Awards 2005 shortlist announced
09/06/2005
The 2005 UK Big Brother Awards
DELAYED - Thursday 23rd June 2005, from 7.15 pm - DELAYED
The Quad. London School of Economics
Contact: ukbba@privacy.org
This year's shortlist contains a mix of some of Britain's most greedy, incompetent, invasive and manipulative mandarins and organisations. Government, at both the UK and the EU level, have instituted unprecedented plans to remove personal privacy. Companies are in a feeding frenzy to reap the contracts.
The proposed national identity card should have headed the list of heinous projects, but as it has already received a Lifetime Menace Award we can't have the pleasure of giving it yet another prize. The ID card already sits permanently in the Hall of Shame.
This year we focus on the individuals and institutions that sit at the heart of the campaign to erode our rights.
A few politicians this year have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to protecting our liberties. Others have demonstrated the most appalling disregard for those liberties. A Rogue's Gallery of companies have exploited the moral vacuum in politics by lobbying for projects that are potentially fatal to privacy.
Britain is working closely with the US and the EU to ensure that our rights are shaved to the bare minimum. We hope that the publication of this list of villains will help expose the source of the problem.
Shortlist of nominees
Most Heinous Government Agency Award
The Council of the European Union. For its systematic and long-standing disregard for personal liberties and privacy, and particularly for its work on the 'Hague Programme' of bad policies that are now going to be standardised/harmonised across the EU, including biometric identity cards.
UK Passport Service. For its disproportionate, invasive and unnecessary manipulation of "international obligations" to introduce fingerprinting for passports. See Privacy International's letter to the EP at http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd[347]=x-347-79071
The Land Registry. For openly placing details of all house purchases and purchasers online for a fee. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4217129.stm
Most Appalling Project or Technology
The Road Charging proposals. Flawed technology that will bring an end to the privacy of road users. See the entertaining response from the Association of British Drivers at http://www.abd.org.uk/
Iris recognition. A discriminatory and invasive identification technique that claims perfection. Many people - particularly the disabled population - are unable to use the technology. See the UKPS report at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs4/UKPS_Biometrics_Enrolment_summary.pdf and the Privacy International report at http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd[347]=x-347-228833
The e-borders programme. As an extended part of the identity card programme, the Government is quietly reintroducing embarkation controls, and intending to implement widespread use of biometrics at borders, similar to the US-VISIT system. The exception here is that while the US-VISIT system does not fingerprint Americans, e-borders will place everyone equally under surveillance.
Worst public servant
Martin Linton MP - architect of the ID card http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/cm041220/debtext/41220-30.htm#41220-30_spnew7
Richard Granger, head of the NHS IT project. For his project's lack of regard for patient privacy and for his policy of non-accountability to the public. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4392555.stm
Michael Howard. For ignoring his own party over the ID card.
Most Invasive Company Award
New Labour.
Intellect (the industry body, not the quality of mind) For its exclusive partnership with the Home Office on the ID card scheme. http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1516
The David Blunkett Lifetime Menace Award
The Data Protection Act. For consistently failing to provide protection for citizens. See letter from the European Commission to the UK Government http://www.out-law.com/php/page.php?page_id=europeancommission1089896924&area=news
Tony Blair. The smiling puppeteer.
Capita. Winner of the 2003 "Most Invasive Company Award", Capita continues to reap fortunes from privacy invasion at all levels of the British economy.
The European Union. For consistently approving bad policies that even failed at home. Including data retention, identity cards, biometric passports, passenger surveillance, ... and that's only this year.
Related:
50th Big Brother Award Held
UK 4th Big Brother Awards Winners announced
UK Big Brother Awards 2005
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