Privacy? What’s That?

Wouldn’t it be nice if those pleasant public minded people in Whitehall, Brussels and Helsinki had access to all the information about you that they needed. Then they would be able to offer us all much better services. Excellent our leaders in Brussels are talking about such a scheme.

The European Commission is charged with preparing a proposal to implement "the principles of availability"

But don’t worry there are safeguards:

1) Exchange of data can only take place so that "legal tasks may be performed"

As opposed to illegal tasks I suppose, that make me feel better.

2) "The need to protect source of information";

So potentially it will be possible for someone to make something up and no one would be the wiser.

3) "individuals must be protected from abuse of data and have the right to seek correction of incorrect data"

No doubt the principle of guilty until proven innocent will be the yardstick (Sorry Metre Stick). So as is usual in much of what the state does, nothing at all to worry about if you trust that the agents of the state are all honest decent people whose only interest is our welfare. For the more sceptical among you, start sweating.