U.K. government reportedly considering registration of prepaid cell phones

Over the summer, we learned that Massachusetts is considering a system whereby prepaid cell users would have to register their phones. The idea is to place the burden on the retail store to keep records, which has been the main objection to the proposed legislation. That, and the fact that not everyone has access to the required ID. In any case, it appears that the British government is working on a similar plan. Could this set a precedent that seeps into the U.S.?

Probably not. Yet it’s still interesting to see the government get behind such a plan, even if it’s not our own government. The British have the same end in mind: to combat terrorists and other criminals who take advantage of the anonymity of prepaid phones.

Of course, there’s the question as to the level of monitoring, and what it means. Opponents of prepaid phone registration don’t want a “surveillance society.” That’s understandable. Yet it still must be weighed against the effects it would have on the well-being of citizens.

Then again, as Ben Franklin said: “Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.”

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