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UK's Most Secretive Court Rules GCHQ Mass Internet Surveillance Was Unlawful

Posted by Soulskill on from the prepare-to-not-be-punished dept.

Hammeh writes: Today marks the first time in its history that the Investigative Powers Tribunal (IPT), who are responsible for oversight and complaints relating to all of the UK intelligence agencies, upheld a complaint against GCHQ, stating that accessing data provided to them by the NSA was in breach of human rights. The ruling comes as the saga into online privacy continues to unfold. Last year, the same court ruled that internal surveillance of British citizens did not breach human rights. The difference: NSA data is claimed to have sidestepped the protections provided by the UK legal system. The tribunal also noted that although the UK government was willing to admit that Prism and Upstream existed (both NSA programs outed by Edward Snowden), they would not comment on the existence or non-existence of the Tempora program.

2 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. Very good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    But is this going to have any consequences for those who violated the law on a massive scale?

  2. Re:The traitors are the politicians ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, its the traitors who did it and kept it secret.

    When General Alexander went into Congress and told them the NSA doesn't routinely collect data on Americans, knowing full well he was a lying toerag, how is Congress supposed to then pass laws based on these lies?

    Tempora isn't even being admitted to, its secret to the MPs in the House of Commons and only a few Lords involved in this program, (and now frantically trying to legalize it) are aware of it. How is Parliament supposed to pass laws on this secret policy based on the lies they were told?

    When GCHQ staff accessed PRISM and realized that the NSA was spying on all British comms, their duty was to the people of Britain to expose this and protect our data. Instead they shut up, crawled into their cubby holes and did their work for the NSA like the spies they are.

    THEY take the blame. It was THEIR doing.

    And when NSA analysts were sent to the UK to get around US law and access the full-take Tempora data, their duty was to expose this and protect the US data, even if its from an out of control AMERICAN General, it makes zero difference. Their duty is to the people and the country and its laws NOT THEIR BOSS.