I'll Be Watching You

The British government wants to extend the computer records it keeps on every child in the country. The government already maintains a database recording the name, address, birth date, gender, contact details of parents or guardians, school and doctors of every child. But the government is now testing a pilot program in 12 locations that also records everything from church attendance to school grades to whether the child gets five helpings of fruits and vegetables a day. Law enforcement, teachers, doctors and social workers have access to the database, which the government plans to expand nationwide. Officials say it will help them identify at risk children earlier.