Anonymous Phones to be Blocked in Spain – Where Next?

Gizmodo reports on a blow for privacy in Spain. The government there apparently plans to disconnect all pre-paid mobile cellphones unless the owners are registered.

This Spanish Government has launched an Identifícate campaign to get the country’s estimated 20 million prepaid mobile phone users to register. The deadline is November 7 this year, after which phone operators will be instructed to switch off service to those who have not provided proof of identity. It’s not clear what will happen to prepaid users from other countries visiting Spain.

The move follows legislation passed in 2007 as a result of the 2004 Madrid train attacks where mobile phones were used to activate the bombs. The objective is to prevent terrorists and organised crime using the devices without being traced.

This move will doubtless please the authoritarian “nothing to hide, nothing to fear” brigade, however it’s another major blow against the right to privacy and the presumption of innocence. Yes, cellphones can be used by criminals and terrorists. As can the postal service and – for example in London – public buses. Should letters only be delivered if an authorised sender id is attached? Should we have to provide identification every time we board public transport? Of course not.

A move such as this is not only a direct threat to privacy, it reverses any assumption of innocence. If you don’t register your phone you must be up to something so you’ll be cut off.

At the moment this is purely a Spanish issue, but how long will it remain so? The British government in particular have a record of justifying attacks on privacy using the fear of terrorism and the argument that “Everybody else is doing it”. Watch out for something similar coming soon in legislation near you…