Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
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Here's a prediction:
Within 12 months you won't be able to buy a pre-pay phone or internet account
without providing some form of ID, and those who sell such things will be
required to file that information with some central state agency.
I seem to recall that police have already noted the power that pre-paid
cellphones give criminals by anonymising their conversations and making
it far harder to work out what they're saying and to who.
And the same goes for Internet access.
Check Out The Aardvark PC-Based Digital
Entertainment Centre Project
Updated 2-Dec-2002
Just as prepaid phones offer anonymity for voice communications, prepaid
Net access does the same for our online activities.
The justification for scuttling anonymous prepaid phones will almost undoubtedly
be that it will reduce crime or
terrorism,
anonymous prepaid Net access will be outlawed by claiming that it provides
a vehicle for child pornographers and terrorists.
Like most of the issues surrounding control and monitoring of our every-day
activities by "big brother", this is not a black and white issue. Indeed,
it is a thousand shades of grey.
Given that (at least in theory) no citizen of this country will be persecuted
or punished for simply expressing their opinions, the need for totally anonymous
communications would seem to be hard to justify.
On the other hand, we currently have the right to meet with our friends,
in public or in private, and talk about whatever we like -- without the
legal requirement to wear name badges or identify ourselves to any
other party. So why should it be any different when we're on the phone
or online?
Should anyone found in possession of a prepaid phone and a stack of
prepaid Net-access cards be immediately presumed guilty of some crime
or terrorist activities?
Clearly not -- but outlawing such things would certainly imply that such
assumptions would be made.
Of course I could be totally wrong. It may well be that our politicians
value truly anonymous freedom of speech and the rights of the individual
above the alleged beneficial effects that removing such rights would have
on society.
But what do you think?
Even if you're not an anonymous prepaid phone or Net user, would you like
the right to be one protected by law?
Have your say
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