WRITTEN ON October 4th, 2006 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Uncategorized

The idea was floated at the Tory conference, says Kable’s news service

The leader of Bracknell Forest BC has suggested people who allow their data to be sold to marketing firms could receive council tax cuts

Paul Bettison told a Conservative party conference fringe meeting that the information from the council’s smartcard system could be sold if controls on government databases were loosened.

“If I could use the information on the 45,000 residents who carry cards, I believe I could be the first council in the country to have a zero council tax,” Bettison, e-champion of the Local Government Association (LGA), told the Conservative Technology Forum on 2 October 2006.

Such use of the data gathered through the E+ cards, previously known as Edge smartcards, would be voluntary for residents – but for those who did not wish to take part, “it will be £1,400 for a band D,” Bettison said.

When the ask for my loyalty card I either say I don’t have one because I’m not loyal, or that if they want my personal details they’ll need to pay a lot more than they’re offering. I was joking, but maybe I was right.

For zero council tax I’d probably go for it. They could have my usage data, as long as I could opt out of the junk mail. Anonymised usage data I’d sell for £100, named for £1-2000. If I had to open my mailbox to junk mail they’d been to pay me £4-5000 I reckon.