An Example:
In the United States, when the Social Security system was created in the early 20th century, each worker was issued a unique, nine digit, Social Security number (SSN). These SSNs were created to keep track of a person's contributions to the Social Security System and to determine his eligibility for benefits.

Due to function creep, the fact that each person has a unique SSN has led to them becoming a de facto identification number for each person. SSNs are now requested for other non-Social Security related government functions, such as income tax filing and passport issuance, plus many more non-government functions such as tracking credit history, employee ID numbers, and school records. Early Social Security cards, in fact, had printed on them "Not to be used for identification," a notice which was removed from later editions of the card.





Can anybody say, "Deja vu"? It's happening again. This is just a blatant, classic case of function creep. It begins with the "terrorists" and ends with the rest of us being forced to obtain a national ID. This bill is so hideous that even our nation's governors oppose its passage.




March 08, 2005
Local Council operated CCTV surveillance function creep for "directed surveillance" by the Police and Customs & Excise.

Bradford Council's public CCTV surveillance cameras schemes appear to have be used increasingly for directed surveillance by the Police and by Customs & Excise, according to this Freedom of Information Act request based report in the local newspaper, the Bradford Telegraph & Argus

Directed Surveillance requires authorisation under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, and is used for police surveillaance, familiar from TV and film as a "stakeout", or following suspects on foot or in a vehicle, with or without tracking devices etc.

However, RIPA only authorises the a list of public bodies such as the Police or Customs & Excise to snoop on people being investigated for a "serious" crime. defined as one which would be likley to attract at least a 3 year prison sentence for a first time offender, if convicted.

It does not authorise Local Authorities to snoop on people in this way. - spyblog (see also)






Just remember: it can't happen here.