In an enlightened effort to prevent terrorism, you may soon need a passport to buy a cellphone in the UK. The Times is reporting that officials are thinking of creating a register of prepaid phone purchasers.
The pay-as-you-go phones are popular with criminals and terrorists because their anonymity shields their activities from the authorities. But they are also used by thousands of law-abiding citizens who wish to communicate in private.
One loophole? You can pay cash and not show a passport. Another loophole? You can get a SIM card and cellphone from another country and make calls. Another loophole? You could use a pay phone. Security theater, friends. Security theater.