tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254594496888680289.post3509112085406315429..comments2023-01-31T08:41:00.115+00:00Comments on JerseyToday: A consultation offer from the Borg.Mark Forskitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09189827278867422775noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254594496888680289.post-59060677261926158542016-07-19T20:29:39.509+01:002016-07-19T20:29:39.509+01:00I'm glad you have raised your concerns about t...I'm glad you have raised your concerns about this because nobody in the States Assembly is bothered enough - that's for sure.<br /><br />According to the Jersey Annual Social Survey 2013, "82% of residents had access to the internet (unchanged from 2010)". So 18% don't and the fact that this percentage didn't change in 3 years maybe hints that this statistic won't drastically change in the short term. The estimated population of Jersey in 2015 was 102,700 so that is many thousands of islanders without access for sure.<br /><br />It seems that these Digital Policy zealots will be relying very heavily on the services at Jersey Library to try to force those 18% online. Well it is access of a sort, if you have no other means. I went in there recently to get internet access and I observed how the atmosphere has become less welcoming than it used to be. You have to show your library card to book a terminal, which has admittedly been the case for some years. However, you now also have to log on at your terminal before access is permitted and then the clock begins ticking. If you overstay your agreed time by just seconds, you lose whatever you were working on, such as an unfinished e-mail. Quite obviously, the logging on/logging off system combined with a Library Card allows the States to know exactly WHO has viewed what when they were using the service. It is so overtly NOT private. In addition, I have known for several years that pages on certain political sites such as Planet Jersey can be inaccessible from Library computers because of the filtering software in use. And of course it is easy for other Library users just to view what you're viewing by looking over your shoulder. Given a choice, no thanks!<br /><br />I am very worried by the powers already contained in the Register of Names and Addresses Law and how the States will continue to use (abuse?) subordinate legislation to gradually commit function creep over a period of time. I tried to lobby against this Law and its sister law - the Control of Housing and Work Law - before they were debated in 2011. My own Deputy did not bother to turn up for the debate despite having received an e-mail from me. Only 1 States Member actually opposed the Register law on the principles and 2 opposed the Control of Housing and Work Law.<br /><br />The highly-paid bureaucrats pushing this new Digital Policy Framework are only too aware of this long tradition in the States Assembly of total deference to the executive and the reluctance to properly debate, scrutinise or oppose executive propositions. Quite simply, they will be able to ignore civil and human rights issues that they would not be able to ignore on the UK mainland or in many EU Member States. No wonder they're all so enthusiastic to keep things moving ahead as quickly as possible... Jerry Gosselinnoreply@blogger.com