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How Private Should Your Information Be?

Whether you know it or not, there is so much information that is collected on you that you really don't have a private life anymore. You're probably wondering if there's anything out there that can help you combat this and regain your privacy. You can try to research it, but you may be wasting your time. The minute you put your information in writing or on a website, it's already being transmitted all over.

We have to have ID documents to identify ourselves. We also know that people can compromise our names and turn them into mud. Once again, our privacy is not secure. Identity theft has become big business now for scammers. They take your information and manipulate it to make it suitable for them. This way, they can make plenty of money, disregarding who they affect and hurt with this scam.

We are required to provide certain information in regard to different scenarios. Here are some that are the most common:

• Your name: First and last, sometimes you middle name, also. This is required if you're filling out an application for a job, opening a bank account, obtaining a driver's license, applying for a credit card, etc.
• Your birth date: This is required when you're filling out an application for a job, opening a bank account, obtaining a driver's license, enrolling in school, etc.
• Birth place: This is required when you're filling out an application for a job, obtaining a driver's license, enrolling in school, etc.
• Marital status: This is asked of you if you're filling out a job application.
• Health records: These are usually found at the doctor's surgery, hospital and the secondary school.
• Educational records: These can be found in the school system: primary, middle, high school, and college. These records are transferred from one school to another.
• Your parent's names: If you're under 18 years of age, this is required on school forms so the personnel know whom to contact.
• Children: This is usually asked on a health insurance application,
• Bank account information: This is asked for on a mortgage application, online payment processors, etc.

As you can see from this listing, that's quite a bit. Even when you give out this information, in the back of your mind, you may be thinking why it is necessary to provide all of this. Well, for one, if you don't provide it, you may not get the services or products that you're asking for. You have to think of this as an exchange. You get something if you provide what they want. For instance, in order to get a driver's license, you have to provide your name, birth date, etc., in order to get it. A driver's license is one of the most important (if not the most important)
piece of identification adults should have. Not just for driving privileges, but a driver's license can immediately identify you if someone needs to know who you are.

In order for your child to start school, they have to have paperwork stating that they've had all their shots. This is required by law. The parents should also list any allergies the child might have so that the administrators will be aware. Your health records are also needed in the event that you may be admitted to the hospital. The doctors and nurses have to know what your medical background is so they'll know what medicines to give you.

Birth dates are needed because the school needs to know the age of your child and what grade to place them in. They're also needed on driver's licenses so the facility can determine what type of license to provide you. They're asked for on credit card applications so that they'll know you're at least 18 or older.

Educational information is needed so if your child is transferring to another school, the administrators will know what classes they've already taken, what grades they received, etc. If you're going to college, this information will be used for the same reason.

In the U.K., there is a debate going on as to whether or not providing all this information is necessary. There is a valid concern, however, with the rise of identity theft occurring. Is the information that you're providing to these institutions safe? How are they keeping it secure so that only certain people have access?

The idea of having special ID cards seems to scare some people. They feel that even though officials have mandated this, you're giving up your rights as a person. All of your privacy is gone or violated. They feel that with the invasion of people unlawfully stealing your identity, you will always be at a risk of being cloned, abused, and lied on, etc. The government has even mentioned that these ID cards, called biometric ID cards, can help reduce crime and fight terrorism. However, some people are disputing these claims. They don't understand why the government is trying to control them with this ID project. They say that the government doesn't have a crystal ball to look in to the future of what's going to happen.

There's the Data Protection Act, Human Rights Act and Action Programmes. People have said that not much has been done to protect people from scammers and other abuses. These laws have collected information known as data collection. Some of them feel that the government is using this as an excuse so they can have control that the people don't think they need.

Supposedly, this project may just allow people to maintain and preserve their own information. This includes personal, financial and other information deemed necessary. They say it should only be revealed when you need to confirm a claim or to get information that is needed for you situation. It has been suggested that for legal and security purposes, a copy of the information should be kept by solicitors that the people hire. The solicitors would receive a fee of £100 to preserver and secure the information. This way, you're assured of your information not being tampered with and not worrying about the threat of someone stealing your identity.