Friday, 26 July 2013

The Dark Side of the National Census


Despite the risk of sounding like someone from Grumpy Old Women, I am still cross about the last Census forced upon me in 2011.  This one was so intrusive I’ve got bets on the next one having additional blank pages for our life stories.

In this dangerous new world of terrorists, hackers, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, just where will our precious information end up?  Let’s not snuggle up with the idea that our data is secure.  If the Chinese can access the blueprints to the ASIO building, it’s safe to assume privacy is nonexistent.

In 1933 and 1939 Hitler used Census information to identify the Jewish population.  Edwin Black, author of IBM and the Holocaust writes: "Each person over the age of twelve was required to fill out census and registration in duplicate, and then was fingerprinted. Part of the form was stamped and returned as the person's new identification form. Without it, they would be shot. With it, they would be deported."[1]

Refreshingly, Canada has tossed the threats of fines or jail, and replaced it with a voluntary survey to safeguard their citizen’s security. 

If only my local Census lady, who hunted me like fugitive for weeks, would embrace Canada’s perspective.


Amanda G


[1] Edwin Black, IBM and the Holocaust, Dialog Press 2008, p.197

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