this is a necessary step forward if we want to create a borderless union where you can't trust your neighbours.
Underrated criticism. The EU currently isn't going in the direction of a borderless union. 15 years ago, I would have thought that a sad development. Currently not so sure anymore. Legislation from EU bodies has been abysmal the last 10 years, not only relating digital spaces.
EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
61–70 of 203 posts
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why did you select these particular countries, especially Austria, as an example?
Simple: Poland and Hungary are under multiple investigations for turning their systems to "illiberal democracies". Austria is on the list because their right-wing party FPÖ is in control of the security agencies (both police and secret service and military), which has led other EU countries to restrict information exchange with their secret services ( https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/spionage-... ).…
let me guess: German?
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
So you're never going to hold an EU passport or never enter the EU? Do you feel more comfortable giving the same information to the US?
It is still possible to hold an EU passport which does not contain any biometric data, even though it's getting harder and harder and I suspect the still available loopholes will be eliminated pretty soon. For example I live in an Eastern-European country that is also an EU member and I hold a passport which does not have any incorporated biometric data in it, but that only happens because I specifically chose a temp…
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#64Earlier quoted context omitted.
Definitely not in the UK. We had them after WWII until sometime in the 50's when they were removed due to abuse by the authorities. Hence there is still a distrust of them. The scheme recently introduced and then scrapped could have had some interesting consequences. This is part of why we have such "fun" with the free movement provisions, in that we do not have a population register. Nor a requirement to keep the au…
I think it was when the wartime id cards where up for renewal the civil service wanted it - but parliament thought it smacked to much of "Gestapo" as Churchill put it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3129302.stm
a bit more detail here:
http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/identit...
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
[flagged]
[flagged]
And not being able to home school kids is a great thing, don't understand how it's even a thing in other countries.
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
No, this is not "just" a merger! Prior to this latest crap, the databases were separate, including separate access controls, on a "need to know" basis. Now a shitload of agencies and their agents across the EU, including in untrustworthy countries like Poland, Hungary and Austria, can access all the sensitive data in one place. This is NOT good.
Why did you select these particular countries, especially Austria, as an example?
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
[flagged]
[flagged]
Why not? The FPÖ (AT) is right-wing extremist. The Fidesz (HU) got suspended from the EVP for leaving the path of democracy. Salvini (IT) regularly uses right-wing talking points and incites hatred. PiS (PL) is under fire from the EU Commission which has sued the Polish government due to them dismantling the court system.
> Furthermore, Germany is and has been more authoritarian than any of those countries for a long time. In Germany you need to buy a license just to livestream online to more than 500 people (or needed?).
LOL, are you serious? I agree that this regulation is utter crap, but that is not authoritarian. We still have an independent court and police system - PL/HU have not.
> Germany's also the country where home-schooling is illegal and you can't take your kid out of school even for a couple of hours without permission from the principal (often a government employee).
Home schooling is illegal for very valid reasons. At least our kids (mostly) get vaccinated and don't get screwed out of their future by parents who think it's sane to keep them from anything outside and replace that with evangelical indoctrination.
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#68Cookie law, Article 13, now this. Who are driving these motions?
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
Underrated criticism. The EU currently isn't going in the direction of a borderless union. 15 years ago, I would have thought that a sad development. Currently not so sure anymore. Legislation from EU bodies has been abysmal the last 10 years, not only relating digital spaces.
More than 10 years. Don't forget the Data Retention Act that required ISPs to keep logs of every single IP you visit and collect it in a database.
Re: EU votes to create gigantic biometrics database
#70Cookie law, Article 13, now this. Who are driving these motions?
It's an absurd law that's a prime example of how incompetence at a regulative level leads to a negative outcome in a specific sector. I 100% agree with that, but I fail to see how it can be compared to your other two examples. Cookie law doesn't affect your privacy in any way (and certainly not for the worse), it just gives you annoyances you have to deal with.