Report - Guardian

The LSE Identity Project Report: June 2005 141have been assessed through research into focus group outcomes. Annex Two providesdetails of a study into the views of people with regard to biometrics. The results indicatethat science fiction movies are a key driver of opinion and perception, that security is akeyword for those who support the technology, while surveillance and control are keynegatives for those who are concerned about the technology.These results indicate that much has yet to be done to provide a solid foundation ofknowledge and awareness of these advanced technologies. Until then, public support islikely to be fickle.Entrenched hostility and non-co-operationThe Privacy International/YouGov poll indicated that opposition to the identity cardsscheme, while still in the minority, was deeply hostile. As discussed elsewhere in thisreport, the non-co-operating population is likely to exact a high toll on the scheme.The strength of feeling amongst opponents can be gauged by responses to a“competition” run by NO2ID. Visitors to the organisation’s website were asked toconsider how they could – within the law – disrupt the scheme. The following publishedexamples are illuminating, and demonstrate that organised actions of resistance willcreate substantial cost and stress.Refuse to comply / cooperate“I have a simple answer to this. I will refuse to pay... if they take the money from mywages I will resign my job. If they take the money from my dole I will not claimbenefit. I will then claim sanctuary at my local church (already been arranged). Wheneventually forced into court will close my defence with a quote from ‘The Making ofthe English Working Class' the quote will be 700 pages long and I will read it out incourt...very slowly. Should clog up the system a bit...”“If you refused to let your hand actually make contact with the fingerprint scanner’ssurface and a Home Office employee physically pushed your hand onto it, that could beclassed as common assault.”“For the finger prints it'll be heavy duty DIY - sanding something down with wet anddry, grouting the bathroom or being a bit clumsy with the superglue. An alternativeapproach would be to have two plastic bags containing wet flannels in my pockets so Ican make my fingers prune like in time for my allotted scan.”“It’s quite easy to remove your irises. Atropine is a very old drug and dilates your pupilsso you have no irises. Its effect is temporary…”Delaying tactics“Turn up at the at 'Appointed time and place' very promptly and then demand that theytake you details immediately. When they refuse because people are waiting, tell them togive you another appointment and walk out. You have complied with the law.”