BBC medical records story

[David Hansen]

On 8 Mar 2002 at 10:35, Peter Tomlinson wrote:

> > > 1. There is an emerging consensus, certainly in Europe, that
> > > information carried on a citizen's card must be backed up
> > > somewhere, so that the card can be recreated
> >
> > I doubt very much if
> > the smart card will have a journal, so no doubt if there is a
> > disparity between the card and government the central records will
> > be believed.
>
> No, it doesn't go back to lack of trust in the people, at least not in
> the documents that I have seen from the EC. The intention is
> citizen-centric.

"Intentions", as stated in the documents of large organisations, have 
been demonstrated to be very different to the true intentions, as 
revealed by what the devils do. See this group for examples from the 
UK civil service.
 
> Cards being issued today in the western hemisphere don't have room for
> an audit trail, but the large memory cards will be able to do that.

What matters is what happens when the card and the central database 
disagree. In my view government will take the "we can't trust people" 
approach and say that the card has been modified by the owner. The 
idea that the central database has been modified, by accident, 
"accident", or design is unlikely to be entertained. See the banks 
for examples.

Is this something the EU addresses?


--
  David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
 I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
 prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.