Obama Wants Internet ID for All Americans

[gm0n3y]

I prefer to keep my eggs in separate baskets.

So basically the government wants to create an id for each person to identify them online which could lead to the loss of anonymity on the internet as well as serious data breaches that can ruin the lives of people once all of their internet security is compromised in one blow. And this is ostensibly just to make people not have to remember / keep track of their own passwords?!?! Talk about creating massive problems to solve one minor problem that only affects idiots.

 

[gm0n3y]

[citation][nom]TommySch[/nom]Well that would qualify as a typical American. Freaking about whats insignificant or good (health care public insurance) but approving silently when its outrageous (patriot act, airport security, etc.). As long as you say the word terrorist, you are fine. If you dont its obviously a secret communist plot.[/citation]
So true! Now if only they could claim public health care was necessary to stop them terr'ists.

 

[JJBB]

I've decided not to read internet comments anymore.

 

[Yuka]

[citation][nom]gm0n3y[/nom]Talk about creating massive problems to solve one minor problem that only affects idiots.[/citation]

This.

I think you just found what the AVG politician think about AVG Joe. They wouldn't be making this kind of proposal if they don't believe in it. Hell, even ourselves ("tech savvies") think the AVG Joe is stupid.

I'm giving the benefit of doubt to Obama (and his minions) on this one, just because there might be a LOT of money being lost thanks to "leaks" and "identity thieves" on the internet. Not just direct Credit card transactions, think about paypal, google check in, even the bank pages. There's also (probably) a lot of money involved in trying to fix that type of situations (just like in health care; not direct money, but collateral waste).

Cheers!

 

[compton]

The Department of Justice wants the ability to track cellphone users' locations without a warrant, and now the President wants to give me an Internet ID card? On the premise that the Commerce department would use the information in a responsible way? I'd much rather have the Bush Warrantless Wiretaps that tracked over seas calls to terrorists than the abillity to oversee any online transaction I make with the added joy of being tracked with my phone because some peace officer wants to. Thanks, but no thanks. Where are all of the apologists? I think there are a number of privacy and property concerns as of late that are all but ignored by most press outlets.

 

[thillntn]

This is a part of all the CHANGE you heard about during the elections.

 

[verbalizer]

government is getting out of hand..

 

[heffeque]

Hahahaha! People in the States have no ID, yet they need their driver's licence for everything (works basically as an ID) and now they want to put an internet ID!!! LOL! Next thing they'll start driving on the left side of the road.

 

[Sabiancym]

To all of you "ZOMG GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO KILL US ALL" people.

It's optional.
It's privately funded.
IT"S OPTIONAL!!!!


Calm the hell down.

 

[jimmysmitty]

"We are not talking about a government-controlled system. What we are talking about is enhancing online security and privacy and reducing and perhaps even eliminating the need to memorize a dozen passwords, through creation and use of more trusted digital identities."

I call BS on this right here. Its basically an easier way for the government to control and regulate the internet.

How about they stay away from the internet? Like not try to tax it or add any rules or restrictions to it since that alone breeches freedom of speech?

First government controlled health care, next government controlled internet.

No thanks Mr. President. I don't want you telling me what I can do on the internet I pay for.

 

[chunkymonster]

[citation][nom]Silmarunya[/nom]Many European countries have been using electronic ID cards (yes, we have those and we aren't being oppressed by the evil government yet) that also serve as an internet ID like the one proposed by Obama.So far there are no reports of it being exploited, hacked or otherwise used for malicious purposes. On the contrary, it has reduced preying by paedophiles (as many online chatrooms attended by young users now require you to use such an ID, thus preventing you from lying about your age), has increased the security of online banking and so on.The costs are extremely low (we get readers and ID cards for free, but even if you had to purchase them, costs are just a few dollars), the security improvements massive and the amount of private data stored minimal (the government can hardly use your age, area of residence and other such basic facts to oppress you in anyway, as they already have these anyway)[/citation]Many Europeans are used to having their civil liberties taken away from them a little bit at a time, so the fact that this seems to be no big deal to someone from Europe is not a real surprise. Europe is far more socialist leaning than America is and it is this type of proposal from Obama that will move America one step closer European style socialism.

 

[BulkZerker]

So now I need ypto steal 2 smart cards. Worth of info instead of one with my netbook and mobile rfid scanner. Oh the noes the obama haz foiled me the too stupid hacker!

Yrt another useless layer of security that's easily bypassed.

Biometrics? gummybears foil thumbprint scanners.

Eye scanner? Ffff, laser print of an eay to obtain eye scan.

Blood? Heh just scrape some dead skin.

Best seccurity is a password only you know

 

[marraco]

Nobody was forced to be member of the Soviet party on the communist world.... Of course, only members had access to water, electricity, gas...

 

[robochump]

[citation][nom]decembermouse[/nom]I don't like it. I don't need another thing making life easier; Americans already have way too many of those as it is. It's why more than half of us are sadly obese and why nearly all of us are impatient. Also, this does sound a little Big Brother-ish. Do not want.[/citation]

True, this may doom secure transaction companies already in business as well as several banks that verify your card being used. This will most likely spiral into a huge mess but it is not law but being looked into. I do agree that in theory it would be great but in practice there is too many variables to over come.

 

[royalcrown]

The reason americans are suspicious is because of things like the Patriot Act being used on people in the USA to treat less severe criminals more like "terrorists" and as a bypass to their civil rights. In the beginning it was promised NOT to be used like that.

The reason americans are paranoid is a history of abuses like that.

Look up CARNIVORE and ECHELON as well.

The thing is is that the government is made up of the same cross section of people as anywhere else. we've got the majority of people just wanting to go to work and come home and live and let live, our people that sincerely are there to do good and not abuse the system. we also have our share of crazy tin foil hat people and evil fear mongering "every ayee-rab is a TERROR-IST and will killz you all" types.

US americans are paranoid because it is always the crazies or the fear mongers that propose and muck around in these systems to use them to their own ends. while these things do get used for good, they are also frequently abused. Also, systems with systems that have control or monitor almost everyone, it is easier for an abuse to exert a lot more leverage or do more damage than isolated and unrelated systems that don't directly interface.

Here is an analogy:

If we get our water from a bunch of places and one of them or some of them were tainted/poisoned, some of us would get sick or die unless we found out beforehand (unlikely we'd know all the spots or find out before SOMEONE drank it first).

If we all got our water from one place, so many more people would be sickened or die before we found out (assuming we did not stop it first, which is unlikely to be 100 percent successful all the time).

Another problem with these layers of security is that they only stop the less skilled people, while creating a market for the more skilled people to sell to. anyone can ALREADY go on the internet and buy magnetic card readers/ writers, magnetic badges, RFID readers and such commercially; So what is to keep the same people that forge and hack now from faking an ID ?

EVEN if you say the cards use non commercially available super chips, we all know that hardware can be emulated via software. For you posters who don't believe that likely, look up what an EMULATOR is.

 

[royalcrown]

[citation][nom]BulkZerker[/nom]So now I need ypto steal 2 smart cards. Worth of info instead of one with my netbook and mobile rfid scanner. Oh the noes the obama haz foiled me the too stupid hacker!Yrt another useless layer of security that's easily bypassed. Biometrics? gummybears foil thumbprint scanners.Eye scanner? Ffff, laser print of an eay to obtain eye scan.Blood? Heh just scrape some dead skin.Best seccurity is a password only you know[/citation]

...please learn how to spell so people can take you seriously...I have 3 dumb a$$ teenagers here and when you use stuff like lolz and haz and such, it makes you stupid even if you are not. Sorry, not so much meant as a personal attack, just passing on what many older and or very educated people think already. It's just how teenagers are now, use calculators in class and color maps at 16 for gods sakes, and can't spell or usually think critically from my experience.

You may not match that at all, but my personal perception would lump you in there because of things like "haz"

 

[Silmarunya]

[citation][nom]chunkymonster[/nom]Many Europeans are used to having their civil liberties taken away from them a little bit at a time, so the fact that this seems to be no big deal to someone from Europe is not a real surprise. Europe is far more socialist leaning than America is and it is this type of proposal from Obama that will move America one step closer European style socialism.[/citation]

Call it socialism if you have to, but keep in mind that:

- Europe, on average, does better economically than the US, despite lacking natural resources and other stable sources of revenue.
- Poverty levels in Europe are far lower than in the US
- The US places a lot of limits on personal freedoms that Europe does not (the right to marry a person of choice, even if he/she shares your gender for example, or the right not to be held without proof even if you are an alleged terrorist).
- Our education system ranks consistently higher in rankings.
- Crime rates are lower
- The influence of large corporations on government matters is far smaller
- More is being done to protect the environment in Europe than in the US.

 

[Silmarunya]

[citation][nom]royalcrown[/nom]...please learn how to spell so people can take you seriously...I have 3 dumb a$$ teenagers here and when you use stuff like lolz and haz and such, it makes you stupid even if you are not. Sorry, not so much meant as a personal attack, just passing on what many older and or very educated people think already. It's just how teenagers are now, use calculators in class and color maps at 16 for gods sakes, and can't spell or usually think critically from my experience.You may not match that at all, but my personal perception would lump you in there because of things like "haz"[/citation]

Please reconsider 'your experience' then. I was 16 not very long ago and I could spell as well as I can today back then, if not better. I was perfectly able to do elementary calculus without calculators and I didn't need multicolor maps of everything. And that's not just me, it applies to virtually everybody I know/knew. Either American secondary education is a mess, or you know the wrong type of teenagers...

 

[royalcrown]

[citation][nom]Silmarunya[/nom]Call it socialism if you have to, but keep in mind that:- Europe, on average, does better economically than the US, despite lacking natural resources and other stable sources of revenue.- Poverty levels in Europe are far lower than in the US- The US places a lot of limits on personal freedoms that Europe does not (the right to marry a person of choice, even if he/she shares your gender for example, or the right not to be held without proof even if you are an alleged terrorist).- Our education system ranks consistently higher in rankings.- Crime rates are lower- The influence of large corporations on government matters is far smaller- More is being done to protect the environment in Europe than in the US.[/citation]

Plus, you guys have siestas, that is great ! I want to take a nap at work 😀

 

[aaron88_7]

Is this Fox news or Tom's Hardware? They conveniently left out the part about how this is 100% optional and Obama doesn't want the government to run this program.

But riling up the crazies does drive up the hit count, so nice going Tom's, you sure got all the tin foil hat wearing nut jobs attention with this one. Now how about we go back to talking about technology and not pretending like this is Fox news misleading people about stories that don't exist?