[supahoops]

Would you be happy to provide it? Personally i cant see why it would be an issue for all law abiding citizens, im sure there are good reasons for it not to be on there apart from the obvious "big brother state scenario" i just cant think of any!

Can you?

Mods please add a poll if possible -

[NewMan]

Yeah, "if you've got nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear", right?

So what happens when they change what you might want to hide?

For instance, what if "the government" suddenly decide that it'd be better for society if they "eliminated" anyone with tainted genes that might lead to, for instance, Down's Syndrome? Well, a quick bit of SQL later, and all the names and addresses of the people who need to be rounded up are in the hands of those with power...

I know, I know, very unlikely, but a week ago, I'd have found it unlikely (but not wholly impossible) that members of opposition parties would be arrested by anti-terror police, but that's since happened too.

[WibXL]

I don't trust any government computer to keep my data secure due to all of the high profile mistakes that have been made recently so I definitely wouldn't trust them to hold my DNA which could result in me going to prison for a crime that I didn't commit due to another screw up.

[OldAndSenile]

I think that anyone who has ever had a blood test or similar probably has their DNA stored on a database somewhere anyway.

...I'll fetch my tinfoil hat...

[mjn]

I wouldn't trust any government IT project!

[loz]

This just in.
Good old EU...

BBC NEWS | UK | DNA database 'breach of rights'

DNA database 'breach of rights'

Two British men should not have had their DNA and fingerprints retained by police, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.

The men's information was held by South Yorkshire Police, although neither was convicted of any offence.

The judgement could have major implications on how DNA records are stored in the UK's national database.

The judges said keeping the information "could not be regarded as necessary in a democratic society".

[boltoa]

I wonder if Damien Green's DNA is now on the database forever, given he's been arrested. I also wonder if his daughter is now on the Met Merlin database (interesting story here). The Tories just seem to roll over when it comes to allowing the police state we're turning into, I hope this brings it home to at least one of them...

And the answer to the origingal question. No. I would certainly not be happy. Why should the police/government have any of my personal information that they don't absolutely need?

[domtheone]

If I could 100% trust the powers that be and that the register be only used for specific things (catching criminals/helping with medical issues) then i'd not have a problem with it at all.

Sadly, the current mob in charge have clearly demonstrated that they could not be trusted with an issue this big.

[Iccz]

It's an evil plan to make clones of us to fight in the wars!
Don't allow it!

[WibXL]

Originally Posted by Iccz

It's an evil plan to make clones of us to fight in the wars!
Don't allow it!

If it's a choice between me fighting or a clone I'll sign up to the database now

[Kebabhead]

Well if they clone me I can send the clone to work whilst I stay at home

[Sonic67]

Why not have a TV that watches you in everyone's home linked to the local thought police. I cant see why it would be an issue for all law abiding citizens, if you've got nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear right?

[Cyland101]

No for the following reasons:
1) Can the security of the database be guaranteed (doubtful)
2) What happens if my DNA is "mixed up" with a criminals and then by the fact that its irrefutable I am done for a crime I never committed!
3) Why should the police of the government hold my info when I have done nothing wrong....

[eric pisch]

The point is its none of the states bloody business what I and my family do as long as we dont break any laws.

They have no right to know who I am phoning, what my emails are about and what TV I watch...

Good old EU courts, stuck one up the police state

[Iccz]

I can see the newspaper headlines now...

USB Stick found with DNA Database on London Bus!

[Sonic67]

I have a number of objections to a national ID card and ID database scheme. However my biggest objection is this: currently I can go about my lawful business in a public place and, providing I have not committed, am committing, or are about to commit an offence, no agent of the State has any grounds to ask me who I am, what I am doing or where I am going. If a policeman asks me any of these questions, in these circumstances, I can legitimately tell him to mind his own business.

Now to the 'if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear' lobby, that may sound like I'm being awkward and obstructive. I am not. I am standing up for the freedoms which I enjoy, thanks to the sacrifices of so many that have gone before me. I will be resisting getting an ID card and I will certainly not produce it, or any other form of ID, to any agent of the State for an arbitrary reason. If I am going about my lawful business it is none of the State's concern.

The database, and the way it will connect to other databases, is the real problem.

It's not just the tinfoil hat brigade who are concerned about the government's schemes. Think you've got nothing to hide? What about your medical records? Do you really want your wife to know that your GP treated you for crabs in 1987? The police and council will have access to this at the touch of a button and all it will take is an anonymous letter from somebody who takes a dislike to you.

[onkeh]

Fantastic decision. The situation as it stands is disgraceful, you can be arrested for any reason, marched to the station only for them to say "sorry it was a mistake" but you still have to give them your DNA sample before they can let you go. I could never vote for a goverment that has such contempt for individual liberty.

"Those who would sacrifice liberty in the name of security deserve neither."

[mjn]

Originally Posted by Iccz

I can see the newspaper headlines now...

USB Stick found with DNA Database on London Bus!

What capacity USB sticks do you have?

[onkeh]

Originally Posted by mjn

What capacity USB sticks do you have?

I tried putting my DNA sample on a USB stick, made a right mess and I can't seem to get rid of the stickiness

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by mjn

What capacity USB sticks do you have?

I use a 32gb one here at work, but I know that's probably not big enough

[swanny78]

Originally Posted by mjn

What capacity USB sticks do you have?

wont be thst long before they shrink it enough

Texas Memory Wins Largest Solid State Disk Sale with 2.5 TB Installation

[IAN P]

857,000 people on the database who haven't been convicted of any crime.

Chances of it being taken off,err,nil.

[guitarcarfanati]

Hooray for Strasbourg! Total violation of rights. And then of course the Government likes to store our data in other countries like the US and then the CIA can go poking around it whenever they like! Just look at Swift who manage the transfers for alot of banks. They mirrored the data to the US as a backup and then the CIA got to have a look through all the electronic banking transfer info. A load of rubbish if you ask me!

[avinitski]

if it was solely used to fight crime im all for it.

who wouldn't want a scenario where the rapist and murderer of the little girl down the street could be identified within 48 hours?

[bjd]

Originally Posted by avinitski

if it was solely used to fight crime im all for it.

who wouldn't want a scenario where the rapist and murderer of the little girl down the street could be identified within 48 hours?

Of course, they could just monitor our movements 27/7. That would be even better, because we would be even less likely to murder/rape if we were always under surveillance.
Still, as long as you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to fear, right?

[wormvortex]

Wouldn't honestly bother me in slightest.

[loz]

The sensible point made by someone who I can't remember on the news was that the current government policy is neither fish nor foul.

The someone said that he had no problem with the government keeping the DNA of either all criminals, or everyone, but that the the current policy of keeping it for anyone who was arrested but not charged was wrong in that it seemed to suggest that the police thought they were likely to offend again, even though they hadn't been charged with any offence in the first place.... or were 'guilty' but the police just couldn't prove it.

He gave an example of 2 14 year old girls who had been arrested and had their DNA kept just because they were passengers in a car that the police were suspicious of, but having arrested the driver and them, were all subsequently released as everything turned out to be above board. But now their DNA is on record.

[JagoPlasma]

i have mixed views.

pro's
people get arrested quicker
people that are wrongly arrested can be cleared quicker or may not be arrested at all

con's
criminals get smart and dont leave dna
criminals obfuscate a scene by leaving others dna
dna record gets left on a train
dna gets sold off for research/goes to some company to get you for something or other (think DVLA giving out details to any company who wants it no matter how stupid the reason)
dna gets put on a biometric ID card
insurance companies get access to DNA profiles to rule you out on any health insurance claim after 20 years of paying for it then dieing a horrible death (while no sod thought to tell you that you had it even tho they screened your DNA years ago)
i cant comit a crime and abscond as easily

so in short no, give em and inch and they will take the rest and charge you for the privilege

In theory I wouldn't mind my details being on file, however I don't really trust the government to keep my details safe and also don't trust them not to contaminate them and end up being accused of something I didn't do!

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by supahoops

Would you be happy to provide it? Personally i cant see why it would be an issue for all law abiding citizens, im sure there are good reasons for it not to be on there apart from the obvious "big brother state scenario" i just cant think of any!

Can you?

Mods please add a poll if possible -

I wouldn't want my DNA on a national database for the same reason I wouldn't want government security cameras in my house.

For the same reason I wouldn't want to fill in a form every time I went into a shop to buy something.

For the same reason I don't want government approval to start a family.

The government can't look after their data, they have proven that with the number of laptops they have "lost".

The government also have a habit of selling on data to third parties, with even worse security protocols than the government.

Woe betide anyone who believes in freedom!