Contactpoint Child Database Faces Unexpected Security-related Delays

UK government’s ambitious GBP224 million scheme for keeping records of every child under 18, ContactPoint, is facing all sorts of snags in its final application.

The scheme was due to be launched in April this year, but was delayed due to authorities’ infamous mishandling fiasco in November last year, resulted into the loss of CDs containing huge amount of data related with the beneficiaries of child benefit scheme in UK, and subsequently, its launch date is postponed till October this year.

But, the government has again pushed the launch to January, citing the raging security concerns from media; however, the government is being reluctant in admitting it, and maintained that the main reasons behind lingering the launch are minor glitches, and not the touted “security concerns”.

“We have identified some issues as a result of recent system tests” said UK’s Child Minister, Kevin Brennan, “which we are working urgently to address.”

Further, a number of privacy advocates have maintained that the plan must be scrapped altogether, as the database would stimulate criminalisation, and it appears to be a surveillance tool against the youths.