UK Government Plans to Compile Massive Database of Citizens' Academic Records

zekrahminator · Feb 14, 2008

So, apparently the United Kingdom is considering compiling a database. Logged in this database will be the academic records of every UK citizen aged 14 or older. This isn't going over very well with anyone. To start things off, the government's track record with data isn't the cleanest (anyone remember the little incident with lost health records?). The main beef that most people have with this plan is that it gives possible employers access to the academic records of people. What's wrong with this is put into words quite elegantly, as stated by a professor from the University of London:

This disregards how people change throughout their lives. Academic records are no indication of future success. There are many reasons for the grades we get: they might reflect the teaching or a personal crisis. People who do badly at school often do well later in life. There's a danger that these records prevent change and progress for the better.

Whether the UK plans to continue compiling this database after such criticism is unclear at this point.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

panchoman · Feb 14, 2008

hope they dont ship the database data in pieces via cds in standard post and then lose it like they did before...

Kreij · Feb 14, 2008

This will go over well for the spammers who are selling fake diplomas.

lemonadesoda · Feb 14, 2008

Gordon Brown out there "inventing jobs" again. What a waste of resources.

Kreij · Feb 14, 2008

I am not sure why the UK gov wants to do this.
Is it so they can say, "Oh look, Abdulla went to Jihad University, we better keep an eye on him."

Bit of sarcasm, but why does the gov want to keep this infromation.
That should be left up to the universities.

panchoman · Feb 14, 2008

well it'll help prevent fake diplomas and all you know. prevent fraud etc

Kreij · Feb 14, 2008

panchoman said:
well it'll help prevent fake diplomas and all you know. prevent fraud etc

No need for that. Any business can contact a University to verify a degree.
At least they can here in the US.
Any business can also check the validity of a University and their accreditation.

moto666 · Feb 14, 2008

I agree whit the Prof.
People change in life!
And this might be the wrong move!

AddSub · Feb 14, 2008

hope they dont ship the database data in pieces via cds in standard post and then lose it like they did before...

Yeah, that was a good one.

Seany1212 · Feb 14, 2008

ship the database with TNT anyone? :roll:

1c3d0g · Feb 14, 2008

Why is it that most "Big Brother"-esque schemes come from the U.K.? What is the matter with this particular Government? Can't they find anything better to do instead of spying on/controlling the lives of their citizens? :mad:

They're super control freaks IMO. Personally I could never live in such a country.

WhiteLotus · Feb 14, 2008

I'd like to see them try, with their recent track record they wont get passed the planning phase

Thermopylae_480 · Feb 14, 2008

1c3d0g said:
Why is it that most "Big Brother"-esque schemes come from the U.K.? What is the matter with this particular Government? Can't they find anything better to do instead of spying on/controlling the lives of their citizens? They're super control freaks IMO. Personally I could never live in such a country.

A strong history of monarchy perhaps? The U.S. does a lot of things like this lately too, to "Protect" the people. All the sheeple love giving up liberty for the illusion of safety.

WhiteLotus · Feb 14, 2008

Thermopylae_480 said:
A strong history of monarchy perhaps?

Can you please clarify a bit?

At the moment I see no logic in implementing this. The same is with ID cards that are going to come in effect - shouldn't a passport cover all these details? A passport can hold all that data and is very hard to forge. A revision of a passport can easily be implemented over time when people renew them.

The US does have a very strict immigration protocols - something that many other countries should copy - although at the same time be watchful to who is leaving the country... although this has no link to the topic /apologies.

tiys · Feb 14, 2008

Sucks for you UK people

Luckily, the USofA doesn't do that..

WhiteLotus · Feb 14, 2008

Luckily?

Some times I don't know if things like this is a good bad thing or a bad thing. If all the plans where implemented then if something did go wrong then the government and officials could find out who it was quickly and efficiently.

AddSub · Feb 14, 2008

Why is it that most "Big Brother"-esque schemes come from the U.K.? What is the matter with this particular Government?

Because when properly incited, anglo-based cultures and societies can make Soviets, Nazis, and any collection of third world dictatorships look like amateurs.

I mean, we are not forgetting British colonial past, are we? It wasn't just tea and crumpets.

1c3d0g · Feb 14, 2008

AddSub: I'm afraid you're right. We're living in pretty scary times...

Jess Stingray · Feb 14, 2008

Oh god. I'm going to be on record. Now let's hope the terrorists don't find the CD's and kidnap me for my science skills. The governement is bound to send them away on CD's because they lost medical records and benefit details last year.

The government trying to keep us safe... my arse....

Thermopylae_480 · Feb 14, 2008

WhiteLotus said:
Can you please clarify a bit?

At the moment I see no logic in implementing this. The same is with ID cards that are going to come in effect - shouldn't a passport cover all these details? A passport can hold all that data and is very hard to forge. A revision of a passport can easily be implemented over time when people renew them.

The US does have a very strict immigration protocols - something that many other countries should copy - although at the same time be watchful to who is leaving the country... although this has no link to the topic /apologies.

Just saying a nation with few thousand years of being subject to various kings, and emperors, both benevolent and not, might develop a culture that leans toward strong central government.
It really wasn't meant to mean anything, other than a little joke. It would be difficult to make a concrete argument for that theory since you have had a representative form of government about as long as we have.

WhiteLotus · Feb 14, 2008

Thermopylae_480 said:
Just saying a nation with few thousand years of being subject to various kings, and emperors, both benevolent and not, might develop a culture that leans toward strong central government.
It really wasn't meant to mean anything, other than a little joke. It would be difficult to make a concrete argument for that theory since you have had a representative form of government about as long as we have.

ah I see. I was confused by the statement that's all.

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UK Government Plans to Compile Massive Database of Citizens' Academic Records

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