The database state threatens us all

The favourite article of those in government and industry who are seeking to build the database state is: "If you've done nothing wrong, you've nothing to fear." Just what nonsense this is can be seen from a report by Andrew Porter in today's Daily Telegraph:

Hundreds of people in police witness protection programmes have been put at risk by the loss of millions of child benefit records, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

The missing data discs are understood to contain both the real names and the new identities of up to 350 people who have had their identities changed after giving evidence against major criminals ...

The new identities of protected witnesses would be valuable property on the criminal market and, if they fell into the wrong hands, could place their lives and those of their families in jeopardy.

It will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds to provide the witnesses with yet another identity.