Big Brother Tracks Children in UK
Filed Under: Freedom & Politics
This is scary. A database is being created to monitor all children in England and Wales for a wide range of “concerns.” According to this article, two warning flags on a child’s record could start an investigation.
Who thinks this is OK? How does a law like this get passed? If there is anyone reading this blog that can tell my why this might be a good idea, I’d like to hear your perspective.
Hat tip to Lance.
PHAT = Parenting, Homeschooling And Technology. That about sums up my life at the moment. 
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Erica Douglas | Jul 1, 2006 | Reply
This is absolutely NOT ok, I live in Edinburgh, but it’s ridiculous. The authorities and health visitors are never done interfering. Constant hand holding and taking over….they forget who the parents are??
Jess | Jul 2, 2006 | Reply
This is scarey on so many levels. It’s almost like a sci-fi thriller of how life could be in 2025 IF people don’t start being concerned about what the government is doing. The apathy of the masses is what could bring us all down.
Oliviah | Jul 3, 2006 | Reply
Oh my gosh, that is very disturbing. Georgie Porgie here might get a notion to push something like that over here.
Oh cool, I see you read the Martian Anthropologist.
Rich | Jul 3, 2006 | Reply
You got a problem with this? It’s for the children’s own good. You should not interfere or question a government that looks out for their own people.
Rich
Julie | Jul 4, 2006 | Reply
[It's for the children's own good.] This is the same argument I have seen over and over on sites advocating the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The problem with this program is that the state determines the outcomes, the state has “informants” (doctors, social workers, and educators) to enforce their own agenda. I not only have a problem with this, I believe every thinking person that has honestly looked at history should be loudly protesting what is obviously an abuse of power by the government.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This program will lead to oppression…
Spunky | Jul 4, 2006 | Reply
I have a general rule of discerning motivation when people speak of “for the children’s good”. If it’s said by the parents then it probably is true, if it is said by someone in government it’s probably not. It is a tool of political manipulation. No one wants to be seen as opposing something “good for children” so any dissenting voices are muted.
Dana | Jul 6, 2006 | Reply
We aren’t so far from this here, and I don’t say that flippantly. We have the database, although not for this purpose…it tracks birthdates, social security numbers, courses, majors, GPA’s, email addresses and ethnicity for all high school and college students attending an institution receiving public funds. It is turned over to the military for recruiting purposes and is managed by a private company to circumvent privacy laws. (Part of NCLB)
We also have the beginnings of tracking mental health issues in the public schools through Bush’s plan.
You can read more here if you haven’t already read up on it (it has been in effect since 2002)
Dana | Jul 6, 2006 | Reply
sorry, but I thought this was funny…ironically, the only way to opt out of this is to submit detailed personal information that will be kept in a “suppression file.” This just keeps them from trying to recruit you, obviously. You’re still tracked.
Carlotta | Jul 7, 2006 | Reply
Thanks for the support. Many home educators here in the UK feel it is a national disgrace, but much of the rest of the population were not wise to it at all, or thought it was a good thing, because they fell for the line that it would protect children, when it rather looks as if it will do precisely the opposite. (ie: generate mountains of useless and expensive data which will be very difficult to sift through.)
This has happened under our noses, with many people not even realising it. We weren’t vigilant enough…I hope for you guys that you will be.