[slackline]

Also, any data collection requires some degree of "processing" (even if its as simple as checking that reported values are within permissible ranges, part of the data validation process).  There are of course other facets of "processing" such as summarising globally or by geographical location and so forth, but the whole point of the contract is that the data on the forms will be "processed" by Lockheed Martin UK from the forms into electronic databases for subsequent use

Are you sure? I'll repeat the earlier quote.

This is complete (or nearly complete) bollocks. The census people have contracted Lockheed Martin UK (NOT the US defence firm bit) to do some printing and provide a helpline. That’s it – no data processing (though they were originally invited to tender to do this). LMUK also employ over 1,000 people in the UK, so the census contract (remember, printing and helpline, not data processing) helps UK people rather than US profits.

Can't see where the person you are quoting cites their source of the details of the contract awarded to Lockheed by ONS (one of the reasons why linking to sources as opposed to just posts is so useful here on t'interweb).  Have you found anything more solid yet?

This press release from ONS suggests that whoever wrote that is wrong as it clearly states...

The contract has been won by Lockheed Martin UK Ltd.

The contract includes provision of a customer contact centre, questionnaire printing and data capture and processing.

I couldn't find anything stating what the extent of the "processing" is, although it does state that "secondary processing" will be handled by ONS themselves and not Lockheed.  There is again the assurance that the data is owned by ONS and will not leave the country, but as per above I've no idea how this would hold up if Lockheed Martin UK Ltd. as a subsiduary to their parent company tried to use the "Patriot Act".  Unfortunately I'm not a lawyer so have no idea how these two would stand up against each other if it came to the crunch, but it does provide me with cause for concern (even if it doesn't for yourself).

[Johnny Brown]

Hmm, getting closer. Yes it does cause me concern, mainly at this point what the facts are. I agree sources would be nice but internet viral 'news' like this has more than a tendency towards reactionism.

"secondary processing" will be handled by ONS themselves and not Lockheed.  There is again the assurance that the data is owned by ONS and will not leave the country

My reading at this point is there probably isn't a problem worth reacting against. If you want to protest against arms sales, I daresay there are better ways than fucking the census.

[slackline]

Well above I've provided the link to the people who awarded the contract, and it is lacking facts as to clarity of definitions of what some of the terms involve (e.g. what is "primary processing" and what is "secondary processing", I could hazard some guesses, but there may be alternative definitions), but its better and more accurate than the reactionist post (albeit in the opposite direction to most others reactions) you were citing from the original link I provided.  Always best to go to the source and cite/link to it, I should have done this in the first instance and can only apologise for not having done so.

I'm not protesting arms sales in making an issue of this as I clarified to gme a couple of posts above and it was poor form of me to allow my distaste for arms companies to cloud my presentation of the issue.

I want to know what will happen if the ONS state "This is our data you're not allowed to do anything with it under our UK law." and Lockheed Martin UK Ltd, as part of their parent company turn round and say "Well under our US law we are entitled to."

I think that would be a messy and undesirable situation.

The census is pretty fucked anyway for other reasons I've linked to.

[Fiend]

Hope you answered it honestly.

(You could sat on the throne whilst working out how to unfold the envelope).

Oh yes... Having already been unfortunately exposed to po-faced anti-religious propaganda, I was sure to be as resistant to that as to religious fanaticism, and put down my own belief (scientific agnosticism best sums it up).

I probably should have done the whole thing on the bog.

[philo]

If you can bare all of the americanized bullshit you get some information about some of the information centres in america, makes me wonder if we have them here too