All for the children

What'cha want to bet these records won't just expire at age 18? Nice way to get everybody all lined up for Big Brother, no?

Senior social workers have given warning of the dangers posed by a new government register that will store the details of every child in England from next year.

They fear that the database, containing the address, medical and school details of all under-18s, could be used to harm the children whom it is intended to protect.

The security fears are fuelled further by the admission that information about the children of celebrities and politicians is likely to be excluded from the system...

The database, which goes live next year, is to contain details of every one of the 11 million children in the country, listing their name, address and gender, as well as contact details for their GP, school and parents and other carers. The record will also include contacts with hospital consultants and other professionals, and could show whether the child has been the subject of a formal assessment on whether he or she needs extra help.

It will be available to an estimated 330,000 vetted users.

Combine this with the extensive use of videocameras and loudspeakers, and it's safe to say privacy is all but dead in the U.K.