I agree on their motto, only I mean it. People who are honest really have nothing to hide. I don’t see how they can break the law by publicating fingerprints, like they say, it’s like publicating photographs.

Therefore I don’t see the problem they have with police taking everyone’s picture, fingerprint, DNA and biometrics. They can have mine, it will only prove my innocence it necessary.

Posted at 8:29 am on Aug 17th, 2008 by laptopleon

They why, laptopleon, are you posting under a pseodonym?

Posted at 9:13 am on Aug 17th, 2008 by herbicide

why are YOU posting under a pseudonym?

Posted at 1:21 pm on Aug 17th, 2008 by laptopleon

laptopleon, the phrase “the innocent have nothing to hide” leaves out something very important.

It assumes that the ruling power are, and always will be, benevolent and trustworthy. Don’t mind the current government having the power to track your every move? What if the next government isn’t so nice?

Even if they are, it assumes nobody within the ruling power will misuse the information. Husbands tracking down ex spouses, people getting information about celebrities, to name some.

Even *then* it assumes the data cannot be stolen or lost.

“People who are honest really have nothing to hide”
On the contrary, honest people have plenty to hide from those who may misuse that information.

Posted at 6:35 pm on Aug 17th, 2008 by Ian Calvert

oh and there are so many other perfectly legal things you’d find very embarassing if anyone outside a very closed loop knew:
just imagine these few examples: being incontinent, liking water-plays, having a drug problem …

oh and by the way the motto is a quote from our former Bavarian Ministerpräsident Franz-Josef Strauss in response to criticism of the macrocensus in Germany 1983. The full sentence would have been: He who has nothing to hide, has nothing to be afraid of. (Wer nichts zu verbergen hat, hat auch nichts zu befürchten). In subtext this sentence suggested that critics of the macrocensus are folk the government should keep an eye on. de mortius nihil nisi bene, but he was a true wanker.

Posted at 4:02 am on Aug 18th, 2008 by slaxor

If you have nothing to hide do you close your curtains at night? Would you hand out your credit card details to complete strangers?

Posted at 4:10 am on Aug 18th, 2008 by TheFallen

electronic privacy in the past was flawed and helped identity theft. Majority of the bbs’s in the past were setup in homes on private lines. Registration required your handle, name, and even address info. Wonder how many actually placed real information on those boards. A univeristy bbs still requires a copy of your license to be fully registered.

Posted at 11:18 am on Aug 18th, 2008 by KaOS