Slashdot Mirror
Total Phone and Email Database Proposed In UK
mishmash writes "The Times of London is reporting a proposal for a massive government database holding details of all phone calls, emails, and time spent on the Internet. This is to be justified as being 'part of the fight against crime and terrorism.' Quoting: 'Internet service providers and telecoms companies would hand over the records to the Home Office under plans put forward by officials.' If you want to write to representatives to let them know your views, contact details are available at Write to Them." UK telecoms are already required to keep records of phone calls and text messages for 12 months, accessible by subpoena; the requirement is already slated to expand to records of Internet usage, emails, and VoIP. This new proposal aims to centralize all that information in a single database in the Home Office.
Many people assume that this is illegal, but it really isn't. The only privacy issue would be over listening to the actual calls. All such statistical data is public knowledge. This database would only take it a small step further.
My preferred name is frazz, but someone keeps taking it. If you see him, tell him I said hi.
Marx was from London.
If you don't understand what it's good for, well, you're just a prole.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law