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UK Government To Outsource Data Snooping and Storage

Posted by timothy on from the avoid-conflict-of-interest dept.

bone_idol writes "The Guardian is reporting that the private sector will be asked to manage and run a communications database that will keep track of everyone's calls, emails, texts and internet use under a key option contained in a consultation paper to be published next month by Jacqui Smith, the home secretary. Also covered on the BBC."

6 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. Happy New Year 1984 ! by neonux · · Score: 2, Informative

    TPB's new year celebration is more true than ever :-/

    --
    @neonux
  2. Re:Please... by xaxa · · Score: 4, Informative

    Has anyone, from a sane country, got any room left? I want to leave the UK now, please?

    Well, you can choose any country in the EU with no difficulty. Anywhere in the EEA isn't much harder. Some Commonwealth countries, like Canada, Australia and New Zealand, want skilled immigrants.

    Or you could just complain about it online :-).

  3. Re:Whats new? by ZombieWomble · · Score: 3, Informative
    What's new is the scope of this database - the goal is to contain details of every single communication in the country. Information about every website accessed, every phone call made, every e-mail sent would be recorded in a database held by the government (or their appointed company), although not their contents (for now).

    Previously this data wasn't collected in a central location and was only gathered from providers as required by criminal investigations etc, but the goal here would be that the government should have every bit of communications data directly at hand at all times, even if it's not suspect in any fashion.

  4. Re:Jackboots Jacqui strikes again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    UK citizens, get on this: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Anti-Big-Brother/

  5. Re:Jackboots Jacqui strikes again by xaxa · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've signed several of those petitions. They do nothing -- someone writes a response, and the issue is then ignored.

    If you have the time, write to your MP. Go here: http://www.writetothem.com/
    I haven't written to my MP yet, but I have written to the Mayor of London a couple of times. I received real, written responses and felt it was a much better use of my time than signing 10 spur-of-the-moment petitions. I'm currently waiting for a response from Boris Johnstone after responding to his transport policy document.

  6. Re:Jackboots Jacqui strikes again by replicant108 · · Score: 3, Informative

    That's a nice theory, but it's actually not about the party. The Home Office has been pushing for these powers since long before New Labour came to power.

    In fact, the Tories under John Major were pushing for ID cards in 1995 - a move opposed, ironically by Tony Blair.

    If you think that a Tory government will be any different then, you will be sorely disappointed.

    http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5B347%5D=x-347-61886