Report - Guardian

72 The LSE Identity Project Report: June 2005and working hours would be stored in a centralized database, which all social securitydepartments could access, albeit only with consent. However, the Data ProtectionCommissioners have argued that this project constitutes a systematic data collectionwithout a specific purpose, and therefore violates the right to self-determinationexpressed by the Constitution and jurisprudence. The commissioners also feared that theuse of the social security number as a personal identification number would createserious privacy challenges.GreeceIn Greece, all individuals are compelled to carry cards because the police have the rightto demand their production. Cards are issued at age 14, when the individual mustregister at their local police station, bringing along a birth certificate and a witness(often a parent). The police have argued that forgery and counterfeiting of the cards isquite rare because of the enrolment process. 172 The data collected in the enrolmentprocess is sent to three Government departments and stored centrally, with the policemaintaining control over the central database.The situation is Greece is also very interesting because of the legal challenges to theinformation held on the cards. Since a decree in 1969, Cards have been required thatinclude a photo, a unique number, fingerprint, surname, father’s name, mother’s name,spouse, place of birth, shape of face, blood type (optional), place of residence,profession and religion.In 1986 the card was changed to include blood type and the status of the individual’smilitary service; the freedom to withhold details of religion was also sanctioned. Afurther innovation occurred in 1991 when the Unique Code number of the Register wasabolished.In 2000, the Data Protection Commissioner called for a reconsideration of the items onthe card. The Commissioner argued that a number of items were irrelevant andinappropriate, thus exceeding the purpose of processing, and called for the removal of:- The fingerprint, as it is: “not necessary for the verification of the identity of thedata since this is, in principle, evident from the photograph. In addition,according to the common perception, the fingerprint (“record”) is associatedwith the suspicion or the ascertainment of criminal activity (“brandedcriminals”);- Spouse name;- Profession;- Nationality, as according to legislation only Greeks can bear cards;- Residence, as it is likely to change; and- Religion.The Commissioner maintained that the processing of this information was “unlawfuleven if the data subject has given his/her explicit consent”. 173172 ‘A National Identity Card for Canada?’, Report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration,October 2003.173 Hellenic Republic Authority for the Protection of Personal Data report to the Ministry of Public Order andMinistry of Internal Affairs, May 15, 2000.