Switched has a new home! Huffpost Tech.

Click here to visit the new home of Switched!

Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

U.K. Government Wants Personal Service Portals for Every Citizen

by Terrence O'Brien on March 22, 2010 at 04:00 PM

The British government is proposing a drastic overhaul of how its various agencies interact and do business with its citizens. The plan, put forth by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, would move to make the government almost entirely paper-free.

The government hopes that, by moving most interactions online, and by reducing the need to staff call centers and send traditional paper mail, it can save billions of pounds over the next several years. What makes this proposal stand out from the crowd of other Web-based plans to streamline bureaucracy, though, is its intention to build a unique site for each citizen. Within a year, every person living in the U.K. would be given a unique identifier, and have a personalized portal for finding local services and doing business with the government. The portal would allow people to enroll their child in school, book doctors' appointments, pay taxes or even register a car.

The cost savings could be dramatic, and the convenience undeniable, but there is significant cause for concern. For one, the British government hardly has an exemplary record when it comes to securing sensitive data. In 2007, it lost the bank account numbers and home addresses of some 25 million people. Privacy advocates are also concerned with the notion of registering under a unique identifier that would be tied to personal data. There are also practical concerns. Many in the U.K. do not have access to computers or the Internet in their homes, and many older citizens are uncomfortable with using such technology.

Perhaps the most compelling reason to be skeptical of the plan is that it would, in a time of high global unemployment and economic uncertainty, likely lead to job cuts. We're all for technological advancement and convenience here at Switched, but not at the cost of people's livelihoods. [From: Times Online]

Tags: britain, engalnd, government, privacy, top, uk

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular