Civic Hygiene (2013)

Imagine, for a moment, that the Government wished to keep meticulous records of everyone's sexuality. This information would be invaluable for civic planning, helping them determine the need for sexual health services, estimate future births, and decide on school construction. You may trust the current administration, having cast your vote in their favor, and may have no qualms about sharing your sexual orientation.

However, disaster could strike if the Government loses an election and a party like UKIP gains power. With access to a database containing the sexual orientations of every individual in the village, they could harass and persecute those who differ from their narrow-minded views, or even attempt to "cure" them. This scenario might seem like a far-fetched dystopian tale, but it bears a striking resemblance to our present reality.

With the implementation of Cameron's web filtering plan, surveillance boxes in ISPs capable of recording every online activity, and the controversial selling of NHS details to private parties, we find ourselves in a situation where a malevolent government could inflict significant harm. Security expert Bruce Schneier, in a compelling article for CNN, cautions that the existing surveillance state may lead to disastrous breaches of our private information.

Schneier concludes by emphasizing the importance of exercising caution when building technologies that could potentially facilitate a police state. He states, "It's bad civic hygiene to build technologies that could someday be used to facilitate a police state." As Schneier warns, even seemingly innocuous systems, such as the toasters we use daily, could be weaponized if someone is determined enough.

However, we must refrain from creating systems that could easily be turned against the people. The notion of a national database of car ownership might seem reasonable due to its practical applications, despite the possibility of misuse. Nonetheless, the memories of fascist regimes and the horrors inflicted upon individuals based on race and religious identity haunt our collective consciousness.

We would not even entertain the idea of such a database. The concept of 'civic hygiene' does not imply distrust in our current government; rather, it serves as a reminder not to blindly trust the next one.