NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] "Trusted Internet Identity" in Switzerland
----- Forwarded message from Jan Sinstadt <jan@sinstadt.ch> ----- Date: Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:08:32 +0200 From: Jan Sinstadt <jan@sinstadt.ch> Subject: "Trusted Internet Identity" in Switzerland Lauren, Apropos "White House Proposes Vast Federal Internet Identity Scheme" (http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000725.html): It's more than a proposal here in Switzerland, where an "internet passport" called SuisseID is at the early rollout stage: http://www.suisseid.ch (website in German/French/Italian only). Right now it's voluntary, of course, with an initial government subsidy to encourage early adopters. Once the scheme is fully up and running, a SuisseID certificate (USB stick or smartcard based) will cost the citizenry CHF 165 (USD 155) a head every three years. SuisseID has limited scope at the moment, just authentication at a very few e-government websites and online stores. Envisaged later uses include legally binding electronic signatures, access to intranets and secure internet applications, age checks on certain e-commerce transactions, etc. - essentially similar to the Feds' proposal. But should SuisseID attain critical mass in a few years' time, it's easy to imagine a scenario where "voluntary" becomes de facto compulsory as blogging websites, internet cafés and so on increasingly demand authentication - and a government-trusting, indifferent public lets the powers that be have their way. Switzerland must be one of the safest places on Earth, yet the nation is security-obsessed. The Swiss are well-known for obsessing about privacy too, yet the overwhelming majority of folk can be counted on to acquiesce at politicians' mere mention of national security or preventing terrorism. "I'm not a criminal, I have nothing to hide" seems to be the prevalent view of the man in the street. In the country with the highest density of computers on the planet, mainstream media are conspicuously free of debate on technology and privacy issues; statutory data retention by ISPs and the worrying extent of government powers to monitor internet traffic are likewise considered non-news by all except the kookie left wing. Thus have civil liberties been discreetly eroded - and now it's stealthily being taken to the next level. Jan ----- End forwarded message -----