Britain Has Passed the 'Most Extreme Surveillance Law Ever Passed in a Democracy' (zdnet.com)

Zack Whittaker, reporting for ZDNet: The UK has just passed a massive expansion in surveillance powers, which critics have called "terrifying" and "dangerous." The new law, dubbed the "snoopers' charter," was introduced by then-home secretary Theresa May in 2012, and took two attempts to get passed into law following breakdowns in the previous coalition government. Four years and a general election later -- May is now prime minister -- the bill was finalized and passed on Wednesday by both parliamentary houses. Civil liberties groups have long criticized the bill, with some arguing that the law will let the UK government "document everything we do online." It's no wonder, because it basically does. The law will force internet providers to record every internet customer's top-level web history in real-time for up to a year, which can be accessed by numerous government departments; force companies to decrypt data on demand -- though the government has never been that clear on exactly how it forces foreign firms to do that that; and even disclose any new security features in products before they launch. Not only that, the law also gives the intelligence agencies the power to hack into computers and devices of citizens (known as equipment interference), although some protected professions -- such as journalists and medical staff -- are layered with marginally better protections. In other words, it's the "most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy," according to Jim Killock, director of the Open Rights Group.

Comments

Truly despicable

[Oswald McWeany]

Truly despicable! I understand WHY they're doing it, but it's still wrong.

The only good thing is, at least they're letting you know ahead of time they're violating your privacy. (not that that is much of a prize).

Re:Truly despicable

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, I had no idea. Frankly, neither did anyone else actually paying attention. Does twisting logic to such an extreme extent to fuel this type of conspiracy theorizing make your brain hurt?

Re:Truly despicable

[Nidi62]

So.....in order to keep others from making your country into a totalitarian state ruled by fear, you make your country a totalitarian state ruled by fear. Just wanted to make sure I understood you correctly.

Of course, the irony seems to be lost on you that most of the immigrants are coming from places that were under British protection of not outright British control at one time or another in the last 100 years. Karma can be a real bitch, huh?

Re:Truly despicable

[GLMDesigns]

So there isn't a problem of mass bombings and violence? And is this violence coming from a select group of people? And are we importing more people who have no respect for free speech (blasphemy laws) and no tolerance for any opinion that counters their book?

Now, if you then make the inane comparison of Christian fundamentalists who go tsk, tsk and who fight with the ballot box (as opposed to the cartridge box) then you are the one twisting logic.

The simplest solution is to say clearly that freedom of expression trumps blasphemy laws. People can say whatever they want about a religion - even if i's considered blasphemous by adherents of that religion.

And violence, and threat of violence are not acceptable with prison or deportation (if non-citizen) as punishments.

You don't want a draconian surveillance state? Good. Now stand up for freedom of speech and thought and stop trying so hard to not offend.

Re:Truly despicable

[Anonymous Coward]

Once the real British regain control of their borders and kick out the terrorists and others who daily engage in an active assault on British laws and culture, then they can afford to ease up on domestic spying.

This is what delusion looks like on the internet.

Re:Truly despicable

[CaptainDork]

As the UK goes, so goes America.

We have our Islamophobia and immigration fears as a punching bag to take out our frustration at essentially being an out-of-work rust belt in favour of a service economy.

As with Brexit, we will set the house on fire so we won't be bored.

Re:Truly despicable

[Nidi62]

What does what the previous British monarchy of hundreds of years ago during the age of colonization and exploration have to do with letting in some of the worst and most uncivilized and hostile people on the planet?

I will just leave these links here. Feel free to peruse at your leisure.

Nor will you or any other leftist hypocritical clown

Not too many liberals happen to attend small, rural, Baptist affiliated universities such as the one I attended (weekly chapel attendance was all but mandatory even). Of course, you just demonstrated a common tactic that many on the right are starting to employ: decry anyone who has an education-particularly in science or history- or doesn't toe the increasingly radicalized party line as a "leftist", as if that is supposed to be some kind of insult. I figure if the alt-right hates me and the alt-left hates me then I must be doing something right. The truth is I am something of a centrist in that I am pro limited government (which includes the government leaving abortion and gay marriage alone as it has no right controlling those things, if you or your religion don't like it the government isn't forcing you to have one yourself) and reasonable checks on firearm ownership such as mandatory safety, legal, and competency training (and I own multiple firearms, some of which are illegal to own in certain states).

Re:Truly despicable

[CanadianMacFan]

That's the BS excuse they used for Brexit. Muslims enter other parts of the EU and because the UK is part of the EU there is unchecked migration between member countries. Hence "unlimited Muslim migration". It's all fear mongering and if people took two seconds to actually think about things they would see it for crap argument that it is.

But the problem is that people have stopped thinking and that is why we have all of these articles now talking about how we need to stop fake news. We are past peak civilization and now every Onion story needs to come with a warning stating that it's a Fake News story.

Re:Truly despicable

[Nidi62]

Probably more like 99.99% We are many, they are few but how do you catch those bad apples?

Police work. Talk to people. Adopt policies that encourage assimilation and understanding instead of radicalization and separation (on both sides). Teach people to believe they are British first and Muslim second. Show people that when they attack Britain they are only attacking themselves. Even then it's impossible to catch all of them, but that's the trade off you have to make if you want to live in a free state. You're still more likely to die by getting hit by a plane while walking down your street than getting killed by a terrorist, whether they are a Muslim terrorist, an Irish extremist, or a psychotic Pastafarian trying to strangle you with a wet noodle.

Re:Truly despicable

[clonehappy]

The "alt-right" is a figure of the imagination of the "alt-left". There are nothing but radicals on both sides, let's call them for what they are.

There have always been radical leftists as well as right-wing radicals, I'm just not sure where we skewed into the alternate dimension where radical leftism is so capable of browbeating the mainstream centrists into submission. I see the SJW-left as being as dangerous and unhinged as the violent religious right. Say that, however, and you're a "Nazi". When I tell folks it's not cool to flippantly call people Nazis, I get called a Nazi.

The projection is so strong on the left, that it just continually alienates centrists and pushes them FARTHER to the right! Then we end up with what we have today, you're either a "leftist" or a "Nazi". Both are insulting to me, because I am neither, and I surely don't want to be called either one. Heated discussions ensue, and people walk away even more polarized than they started out. I think it's high time to walk away from all of it, and let the pieces fall where they may. Enjoy life while you still can and don't worry about "leftists and Nazis".

Re:Truly despicable

[AC-x]

So that would make the last "mass bombings and violence" over 10 years ago, so it would seem the answer to that question is that mass bombings and violence aren't a problem in the UK, and so these security laws are not only morally wrong but completely unnecessary too.

Remind them that one day, their opposition can win

[Lord Kano]

During the Bush administration, I used to remind people of the dangers of giving too much power to the executive branch by reminding them that one day, another "Clinton" will have control.

During the Obama administration, I reminded people that one day, another "Bush" will have control.

Eventually, I'll remind people that another "Obama" or "Trump" will have control.

Never give anyone, even your allies, the kind of power you would fear in the hands of your enemies.

LK

Re:Thank you...

[Anonymous Coward]

If it weren't muslims, there would be some group that governments would position as requiring these powers to fight.

Re:The EU is the only government that actively loo

[TheRaven64]

They did take back control. The small print said that they took back control on behalf of the Westminster Parliament, which had been consistently acting against their interests for decades, but that's not the point. I still don't understand the people who decided that voting to give Parliament more power was a protest vote against the establishment.

Re:One reason to support Brexit

[Orgasmatron]

Given the set {Diversity, Security, Liberty}, you can pick at most 2. Britain chose Diversity, and as surely as the sun rises in the east, Security evaporated. To restore Security, they are throwing out Liberty.

If Brexit was the harbinger of a rising tide, I expect that the country will complete the cycle by using Security to drive out Diversity so that they can restore Liberty.

It helps to remember that the history of Britain for the last 1000 years or so has been the rise of Liberty. The people will have to decide if we are seeing the end and reversal of that trend, or just an 80 year detour.

We all know its coming, don't we?

[Qbertino]

Seriously, we all know it's coming.

Eastern Europe, Erdogan, Putin, Le Pen, Frauke Petry, Donald Trump ... these are special effects, smoke & mirrors.
The real action happens when laws like this get passed or Tim Cook and his Silicon Valley Bros push for everything-as-a-service / 'ecosystem' and proprietary payment systems instead of cash.

You can read it in Aldous Huxleys work, and in William Gibsons and Neal Stephensons.

We are moving into an all-out full-blown cyperpunk society where anyone halfway free from 'the system' is a potential suspect or locked out of essential basics , only able to acquire them by semi-legal / grey-market means. A world where *everything* has a price-tag and you can't move without Big Brother watching you.

Tamper-free FOSS IT systems are becoming more and more exotic a concept while the brainwashed masses think Fakebook or Twotter is some sort of innovation over other services we've had for decades.

Basically we're smack in the middle of a cyberpunk society already.

Re:George would be proud

[JustNiz]

Not really. Reality is much worse.