The government’s Data Bill: sleepwalking into self-ID?

[IwantToRetire]

The first day of the committee stage of Parliamentary scrutiny in the House of Lords on the government’s Data (Use and Access) Bill was on 3rd December 2024. Several peers moved and supported amendments to address the problem with unreliable sex data that Sex Matters has been raising.

The Science, Innovation and Technology minister, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, gave a disappointing response dismissing the concerns. The worry now is that the government is sleepwalking into gender self-ID.

These three amendments showed how the problem could be solved, if the government wakes up to the problem and shows leadership. They offer three complementary legislative solutions to unreliable data.

Continues at https://sex-matters.org/posts/updates/the-government-data-bill-sleepwalking-into-self-id/

Is it sleepwalking or is it deliberate?

That's exactly what I was thinking.

I could be totally paranoid but put it this way, if I were in government and hoping to legislate for self ID without anyone noticing, I'd definitely be saying, 'Here's an idea, let's call it something like the 'Data (Use and Access) Bill' - who's going to bother reading that properly?

I'm very glad Sex Matters are more on the ball than I am.

There's a thread

Sex Matters: Digital identity verification can end the gender wars www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/5195737-sex-matters-digital-identity-verification-can-end-the-gender-wars

Why they're supporting such an enormous state intrusion and surveillance of citizens is beyond me.

Regardless of whether they support it or not, I’m glad they’ve raised it if it is a potential vehicle for back-door transactivism. The ability of transactivists to manoeuvre behind the scenes is legendary and this is a stark reminder that we cannot rest on our laurels, having successfully stopped the first attempt at introduction of self-ID through the front door.

Very much this - but I’m not sure what can be done about it when Labour has such a huge majority. Maybe just keep flagging it up as an issue to our mp’s and hope enough of them take it seriously

It's not regardless of whether they support it or not though. Because they are supporting it and they're supposed to be a human rights charity. This has massive potential for scope creep. Why are they helping it along at all? Big Brother Watch is much more on the ball than SM are here.

x.com/bigbrotherwatch/status/1861100528563867676?s=46&t=WHoOZ_3Kv5G6-FyQuvE0LQ

Their support of this might possibly run counter to their charitable objects. TRAs won't miss a trick to complain if that's the case. And then, regardless of how each of us feels about the fact SM won't even discuss repealing the GRA, they could be in a lot of trouble. That wouldn't be good for anyone GC at all. Their support of this is utterly bonkers - in many directions.

I’m completely baffled by their support of it too, unless SM sees it as a route to stop sex falsification in future official documentation but, other than a few speakers mentioning the historic corruption/inaccuracy of identity data in the HoL I’m not seeing this concept even really being considered much in the drafting/discussing of this new legislation.

Think Of The Children ?