For me, but not for thee

You’ve probably already heard of the UK government’s plans to collect information on the children of their citizens, including DNA, “for future purposes”.

This plan is coming under fire from a number of groups and one of the topics being discussed is how to keep those with ill intent from accessing the database.

The Government’s ContactPoint database – designed to keep tabs on children at risk of social exclusion – is in trouble again, coming under fire on two separate fronts.

First is the vexed issue of “shielding”, identified as a source of concern by a recent article in the Guardian. More directly, the chairman of the Foundation for Information Policy Research, Professor Ross Anderson, believes that bureaucratic muddle and buck-passing on this issue will put thousands of children at risk from paedophiles, celebrity stalkers and abusive parents.

There is no quick fix, as the source of the problem lies in the very concept of ContactPoint. Put large amounts of personal data on every child in the country in one place, and you will have a resource of great usefulness to Police, social workers and other childcare professionals – or alternatively, you have created a paedophile’s treasure trove.

Over 330,000 people will have access to it, and, according to Baroness Miller, Lords Home Affairs Spokesperson for the Lib Dems: “Given the Government’s record on handling data, data loss, data leaks and data misuse, the whole concept of ContactPoint needs to be reviewed.”

Hence the idea of “shielding”. This is a process whereby details of especially vulnerable children are blocked off from ordinary user access – and a special order would be required to unblock them.

In case you’re confused, the phrase “children at risk of social exclusion” is bureaucratic bullshit-speak for “future criminals”, as this was sold as a crime fighting measure.

And, of course, the local governments are having this thrust upon them by the central government, unless the child is in the UK version of the Witness Protection Program or is the child of a actor or pop star.

Or the son/daughter of an MP.

It is understood that shielding has already been put in place for the children of MPs.

Ahh yes, in the name of security, I’m sure.

How swell for those smashing blokes in government. No worries for you.