Less Privacy, More Sharing

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has proposed new legislation that would relax the United Kingdom's strict privacy laws (as compared with U.S. laws) to allow for greater information sharing among British authorities, according to Intergovworld.com. Brown's predecessor, Tony Blair, also called for similar legislation, but a significant difference, the article points out, is that Blair called for relaxation of the laws to allow for greater efficiency in administering welfare programs. Brown's proposals are unabashedly embedded in proposed new laws to fight terrorism and to support education, in which "data sharing powers would 'help report on whether the system as a whole is delivering economically valuable skills' - a statement that may suggest the government will seek to check individuals' employment status or income after training," according to the article. Foiled car bomb attacks make political sensitivities less so, it would seem.