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An internet kill switch and cyberIDs for all

Just as I predicted a few short days ago, the UK authorities are now investigating the viability of being able to disable social networking sites and networks if they feel some unease rising within the ranks of the great unwashed.

This was so predictable and shows a total lack of understanding of the difference between cause and effect, problem and symptom.

What's more, this would be an exceedingly dangerous precedent for any Western nation to even contemplate.

In fact, when you consider how Western leaders have praised the role that Facebook, Twitter and other social media has played in the recent uprisings in the Middle East, it smacks of the utmost hypocrisy for them to suggest that they have a right to decide who should have access to such freedoms and when.

Once we reach a state where "the ends justifies the means" then we're all in huge trouble and it's time to reconsider the whole viability of any system that supports this kind of ideology.

When a governing power decides it needs to stop its people from sharing views, information and enjoying the power of free speech then it's time for that power to look at why it fears so much, those who elected it.

Clearly, the riots of recent days in the UK are not the problem, they are a symptom of a much greater problem that no amount of technology-switchoff will address.

I predict that "the powers that be" will fail in their attempts to implement a kill-switch for social media, simply because it would be far too much of a blatant denial of the right to free speech in a democracy. No peoples, not even the white middle-class, would stand for this kind of autocratic curtailment of their rights.

However, what I am predicting is the introduction of something I've seen coming for a very, very long time: mandatory online IDs.

Very soon (in countries like the UK), if you want to go online you will have to apply for an online ID that is tagged to your real ID. Without this online ID you will not be able to get online -- because all authentication will be done via a central state-run ID server.

Once you are online, your communications and interactions can be monitored and thus, if you engage in illegal activities (such as unlawful music/movie downloads, trading in kiddy-porn, incitement to riot, etc), the evidence will be readily available to authorities.

Won't happen?

Too invasive?

Well stop and think for a moment... how many CCTV cameras are there in the UK? Isn't every aspect of a person's life outside of their home already monitored and archived in the name of "public safety" and "law and order"?

Governments are very adept at convincing us that we need to sacrifice rights in return for safety and, since 9/11, they've been doing this with increasing vigor and frequency.

No doubt, UK citizens will be told that this cyber-ID will stem the trade in child pornography (think of the children!), kill spam, eliminate online fraud, stop cyberstalking, prevent identity-theft, wash dishes, clean windows and make coffee.

Anyone who might oppose such a move would clearly be guilty of something and trying to hide their nefarious activities from the rest of us so "boo" to them!

And of course, once the UK adopts such a measure, the precedent has been set and the rest of the world (including NZ) will eventually follow suit.

What I'm wondering is -- might this actually be good reason to riot? Could we perhaps charge that by attempting to introduce such measures (when they do) the government of the day is in itself guilty of inciting violence and riot through the mere suggestion of such a thing?

Bookmark this column -- the story is just beginning.

Remember the word "aardvarkrox" when you go to sign up for the new forums (yeah, I know I haven't customised it yet but bear with me ;-)

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