Firstly, for everyone who has not noticed the EPW’s newfangled and updated website, please do so right now. It is nice.
Secondly – this week’s magazine contains a fantastic article by Usha Ramanathan on the Unique Identity Bill. Ramanathan’s basic point is that the new UID project ignores pressing concerns of privacy guaranteed by the Constitution, and that none of these concerns have been tabled or included within the Bill.
However the best part of her article is the following transcript she provides of a fictional (the mind itches to say “Orwellian” but I will avoid all such cliches) account of a post UID world:
Operator: Thank you for calling Pizza Plaza. May I have your…
Customer: May I place an order?
Operator: Can I have your multipurpose ID card number, sir?
Customer: It is, hold on … 21356102049998-45-54610
Operator: Welcome back from Japan, Mr Singh.
Customer: May I order your Seafood Pizza…
Operator: That’s not a good idea, sir.
Customer: Why would you say that?
Operator: According to your medical records, sir, you have high blood pressure and even higher cholesterol level.
Customer: What? … What do you recommend then?
Operator: Try our Low Fat Pizza. You’ll like it.
Customer: How would you know that?
Operator: You borrowed a book titled Popular Dishes from the National Library last week, sir.
Customer: Oh … Have three family size delivered. How much would that cost?
Operator: That should be enough for your family of 5, sir. That will be Rs 500.
Customer: Do you accept payment by credit card?
Operator: I’m afraid you have to pay us cash, sir. Your credit card is over the limit and you owe your bank Rs 23,000 since October last year. And that’s not including the late payment charges on your housing loan.
Customer: I guess I have to run to the neighbourhood ATM and withdraw some cash before your guy arrives.
Operator: Oh, no, sir. Your records show that you’ve reached your daily limit on machine withdrawal today.
Customer: Never mind, just send the pizzas, I’ll have the cash ready. How long will that take?
Operator: About 45 minutes, sir, but if you can’t wait you can always come and collect it in your Nano. Will there be anything else, sir?
Customer: No… By the way… make sure you send the 3 free bottles of cola as advertised.
Operator: But, sir, your health records say you’re a diabetic…….
Customer: #$$^%&$@$% ^
Operator: Please watch your language, sir. Remember on 15 July you were con-victed of using abusive language at a policeman…?
Aditya’s earlier post on the UID here. More by writing by Usha Ramanathan on the UID and its privacy concerns here, here and here.
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