to think people are being oversensitive regarding the census?

[TrillianAstra]

The census is not trying to get at you.

It doesn't matter who is person #1.

No-one is making a moral judgement based on your answers.

Just fill in the form so that the government can count you up and in a hundred years' time your descendants can look up great great aunty Jane and think "isn't Jane a funny old-fashioned name?".

YANBU

And I am jealous cause I am not allowed to take part.

Definately nbu. People appear to have way too much time on their hands..

But it does matter -= it matters a great deal

of course people are going to interpret the census in terms of the way different people and their roles are perceived and valued in society

you can't ask people just to switch their minds off because YOU think it's easier if we all just fall into line

some people, in fact, find it alarming that one can be compelled to fill in a census if they do not wish to - there is an element of social control in it that many people object to

their views are not "wrong" just because YOU don't care about it

and it is not true that nobody will be making moral judgements on the results of the census. Virtually everybody will be, in one way or another.

How the fuck did you know what my name was?

The census isn't ONLY about capturing a snapshot of a point in time, it is also used to tailor community services and all sorts of other useful things based on populations sizes and needs in various areas, depending on demographics.

I honestly do think some people just like to be contrary about things. [/controversial]

Surely people can only make moral judgements on individual census returns in 100 years when the data is released?

In the meantime it all gets fed into an anonymous data pool to give a more accurate picture of the population in order to allocate resources etc - I don't see how anyone can make moral judgements about that, unless it is in very vague terms about the number of single-parent households or whatever.

It is no more socially controlling than the obligation to pay taxes - rather less so, I would say - and if you do pay taxes, filling in the census means that your money is more likely to be distributed efficiently.

I want to be in the census

My great great nieces and nephews are going to think I died or was abducted by aliens in the last 10 years. Fools.

Yanbu - don't see the issue.

YANBU - I filled it in and mailed it haven;t thought about it since to be honest - life is full of too many other things to think about.

I don't think the census is evil and I know what the data is used for (I spent the third year of my history degree poring over bloody census data)

I don't think it should be unlawful to refuse to fill it in if one does not wish to, however. I wouldn't be happy with compulsory ID cards either. It doesn't sit right.

My point is that people do and will have different reactions to this sort of issue - just because you personally don't have any strong feelings about it, doesn't mean that others who do are being stupid.

Am I being a bit thick? What census? Who has to fill it in - we've not had anything sent to us. Do they not want to know all about me?!

Oooo. We're having one in May!

I am usually quite anti-authoritarian but don't see a problem with the census. In what other way can the information re population be gathered?
T

[http://m.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/06/uk-census-population-council-funding?cat=uk&type=article this] article makes it clear how difficult a task it is.

There's a lot of crap being peddled Matthew Wrighht this morning; @what right have they got to know who my visitors are'- they just want to ensure they got everyone! That's why tehy use the 'snapshot' approach.

And a lot of Q's are really sueful- such as the one about caring provided as so many people enver get registered as official carers: we need to know who is out there before we can help them.

not so sure about naming employers, where's the value in that (in Census terms). the rest though- quite easy to work out how useful it is.

And of course

YANBU

Having looked at the form it really isn't as invasive as i thought it would be, don't see the big deal really

I think it is a very useful tool and has a great deal of merit

I do not think it should be unlawful not to participate.

If the snapshop approach were to be effective they would have to MAKE SURE no one filled it in until the 27th march which is impossible.

If it was true that it wasn't being used to make judgement and "just to count you up for history purpouses" then that would be fine.

They also wouldn't make a HUGE fuss about it and fine you £1000 for opting out - if it was just for counting and history purpouses.

YANBU.

As an avid family history researcher I value past census but as an anti-authoritarian old boot I'm not particularly happy about being legally obliged to fill one in.

What intrigues me is how the number-crunchers who are inputting information once the census are completed can tell if the participant is lying. It's all very well to legislate against providing inaccurate information but I'd like to see them prove that I have got central heating if I said I haven't on the form or if I put my religion down as Buddist when it's not.

I suppose they just assume that there is no point in anyone lying so most people wouldn't bother? The only thing I can think people might lie about is if they were claiming benefits as a single person, but actually had a partner living with them most of the time. Or maybe were making loads of money by renting out the basement to a dozen illegal immigrants. But what would the point be in lying about your central heating or religion?

YANBU. It's one of the few actions we are legally obliged to do as residents of the UK beyond paying tax (if applicable) and staying within the law. We're not legally required to vote, pledge allegiance to anything or carry identity cards... unlike in some places. We have very few responsibilities if you think about it. To some I think any kind of information gathering is automatically seen as 'invasion of privacy' and there's a big scaremongering industry happy to capitalise on the misplaced fears of people like Missymorrison87. Hardly anyone was fined in 1991.

YANBU.