Jim Barter : Digital Imagination

…even Americans get it right from time to time…

http://www.no2id.com

The Home Office is to be split in two, one half to handle Justice the other to handle Security…

…I thought the two went hand in hand?

I don’t quite believe this but…

…wonders never cease…

Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary asked the Government how much it had over spent on IT projects in the last 5 years…

“£260m” came the reply from Government

That’s quite a lot, you may think, but it doesn’t seem to include £539m spent on the failed computer and business reforms for the Child Support Agency which was scrapped in June last year, to say nothing of the £12.4bn so far spent on the National Programme for IT, originally costed at £2.3bn.

…Someone somewhere can’t add up.

From El Reg

…well it didn’t take long.

The Grauniad publish an article saying how two guys broke the security in the new ’secure’ British Passport…

…I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/idcards/story/0,,1950226,00.html

We are more and more observed by the state, our movements monitored by CCTV, our spending monitored by credit agencies and banks, our lives - watched daily by anybody with a claim to do so.

When I mention this to freinds and collegues - they often say “I’ve got nothing to hide, I do nothing wrong” or “Only criminals and terrorists try to hide - what are you hiding?” - well, they are kind of missing the point.

If I were to answer them by saying, “If you’ve nothing to hide you won’t mind if I come round and go through your bank statements then?” or perhaps “You won’t mind if I follow you around all day with a video camera”, then I’m betting there might be some objections.

Some of course might even say “go ahead!”, but I’m betting they’d change their tune if they new just how many organisations and public bodies I’d give that information to just for filling in a form or two and paying an admin fee.

We hear more and more frequently of organisations having data leaks, mix ups, loosing lists of names, bank details, medical records, it is obvious to any who care to open their eyes that the state is in no position to control the flow of this sort of information with the rigour and security it deserves.

Rememberence day is upon us once again, in two world wars brave men and women gave there lives to protect the freedoms we hold dear, don’t let the state take it away by the back door, your liberty is important, don’t lose it - and don’t let someone else lose it for you.

http://www.eff.org/
http://www.no2id.net/

Bruce Lawson and Dan Champion have been waging a campaign to get the DTI to answer questions as to why their new website which was built to a cost of £175,000 over a three year period didn’t meet the requirements of the DDA.

They asked people to write to their MP’s and raise the issue.

So I did.

I received this today from Meg Munn MP for Sheffield Heeley

Dear Mr Barter

Futher to your concerns over the DTI website, Please find enclosed a copy of the letter I have recieved from the Minister, addressing your concerns and outlining the current position, I hope this helps address your concerns, If I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

The letter from the DTI

Dear Meg

Thank-you for your letter of 27th of July to Margaret Hodge, enclosing correspondence from your constituant Mr Jim Barter of [address deleted] about the new DTI website, I am replying on behalf of Alistair Darling in my capacity as Duty Minister

The project to launch a consistantly branded, usable website and implement a Content management System took place over a three year period. The requirement for the new website to comply with Level AA of the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines did appear in the original Invitation to Tender. It is regrettable that at the end of a long and complex phase of delivery of the project, this element was lost.

The Department does recognise the importance of ensuring our web content is accessible to all. We acknowledge that there are some accessibility issues with the new website. An accessibility audit of the site has been commisioned, to identify where the site fails to comply with relevant standards. The recommendations will be used to ensure, subject to cost and available resources, the site meets Level A of the W3C’s WCAG as laid down in the guidlines for UK Government Websites as soon as practicable and Level AA in the longer term.

Despite the acknowledged accessibilty issues, we can confirm the new website is being used on a daily basis by a member of the DTI staff who uses the Supernova speech and magnification system (V6.5). This assistive technology does allow users with visual impairments to navigate the website and access the content of the pages. This demonstrates the new DTI website does not ‘lock-out’ all users with disabilities.

It is not appropriate for us to comment on the Freedom of Information (FOI) issues raised by your constituant. An internal review of the decision taken by the DTI not to respond to the follow up FOI requests is currently underway.

Malcom Wicks, Duty Minister

…to be continued.

ID card plan lacks clarity - MPs
“Too many aspects of the government’s ID card scheme are unclear, say MPs who are also sceptical about its costs.”

We pay them how much? And they’ve only just worked this out? Muppets…

Our (un)Government say they’re going to create a database of ALL the children in the UK to prevent ‘At Risk’ children slip through the net - like the Victoria Climbie affair.

What on Earth? How does the (un)Government expect to manage a list of 12 million children when it cannot currently manage the existing ‘At Risk’ register? New tools do not make a skilled worker - they need to be competant at their current work before you let them try something new - clearly our (un)Government are not competant. Spending £224 million (it will be more before it’s finished) on a new system is criminal, fix the existing one first!

…more here