Britain's Database State

The ‘Database State’ is the tendency to try to use computers to manage society by watching and managing you. There are many interlocking government parts, but together they mean officials poking into your private life more than ever before. Andy Burnham may have announced the scrapping of his predecessor's scheme but many of us suspect this won't be the last we hear of Digital ID regardless of its unpopularity here in the UK which last year saw 2.9 million sign a petition against it's introduction. With initiatives like the under 16 social media ban and the Online Safety Act requiring platforms to verify users creating a "backdoor" internet ID. At the same time Wes Streeting is pushing ahead with the NHS Single Patient Record which will give the health secretary sweeping new powers to control patient data with all the related concerns around privacy, security and data misuse by private commercial organisations. This month's speaker is Phil Booth who is uniquely qualified to talk about the concerns around both Digital ID and Single Patient Records. Phil became coordinator of NO2ID in 2004, won the debate in 2010 and 2012 when the ID Cards Act was repealed and the hard drives containing the database were fed into a shredder but then Phil returned to NO2ID in 2025 when ID Cards reappeared. NO2ID is the original UK-wide non-partisan campaign opposing the government’s digital ID system (“digital ID cards”) and the Database State. www.no2id.uk @NO2ID on X In 2013 Phil co-founded medConfidential which campaigns for confidentiality and consent in health and social care and is keeping a close watch on SPR. WWW.medconfidential.org @medconfidential on X Join CCC Manchester for stimulating fresh conversations and free thinking debate. We host speakers from all viewpoints who talk on a wide range of current and interesting topics. We are a friendly welcoming group who respect all good faith opinions. Grab a drink at the bar and come upstairs for some lively, open and honest chat. We don't charge for our events but we do ask for a small cash donation to help pay for expenses. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF TIME AND DATE THIS MONTH!