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GCHQ Spy Agency Given Illegal Access To Citizens' Data (ft.com)
The British government broke the law by allowing spy agencies to amass data on UK citizens without proper oversight from the Foreign Office, an independent tribunal has ruled. From a report: GCHQ, the UK's electronic surveillance agency, was given vastly increased powers to obtain and analyze citizens' data after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, on the condition that it agreed to strict oversight from the foreign secretary. But according to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent court that was set up by the government to investigate unlawful intrusion by public bodies in the UK, the Foreign Office on several occasions gave GCHQ an effective "carte blanche" to demand data from telecoms and internet companies [Editor's note: the link may be paywalled; alternative source], which could include visited websites, location information and email contacts. In a judgment published on Monday, the tribunal said: "In cases in which ... the foreign secretary made a general direction which applied to all communications through the networks operated by the [communications service provider], there had been an unlawful delegation of the power. "The lack of legal control on the discretion of [GCHQ] is compounded in those cases where the specific requirement was not communicated in writing."
US has modelled their surveillance state after the UK's; I'd imagine then that the UK has perfected this, and therefore not illegal. After all, you don't have freedom of the press in the UK. So, honestly if you don't have that you cannot reliably think that you have any other "privacy" after all? Right? Considering how many CCTVs are in London, it's a wonder there isn't an Orwellian book based on the UK.
This could get ugly...someone might actually get a warning not to do it again! Or even worse...a verbal dressing down and then a warning not to do it again!
Oh noes! A spy agency illegally did spy stuff and got busted. Seen this movie before. Absolutely nothing will come from this ruling.
"You can trust us. We're the Government and we're just here to help you."
"I believe in Karma. That means I can do bad things to people all day long and I assume they deserve it." : Dogbert
It's terrible, but it will only get worse, people seem to have no issue giving their freedom away. Or simply not caring enough to fight for them.
These kinds of rulings go nowhere, or some token punishment that doesn't matter is given out followed by the agency doing the exact same thing only a new law or slight adjustment makes it "legal".
Shocked I say dear chap! Maybe about time to look at what's going on around you dear brits, on the upside you're doing a seriously bang-up job on showing everyone else the future. Now toddle on and get some fish and chips in newspaper like a good lad. And ignore that there's a systemic problem with both the policing at the local and federal level that you need to clean up.
And so, who knew that a gigantic surveillance state wouldn't turn around and abuse these powers at all. Now all they've got to do is get people to inform on each other, and the rise of the STASI will be complete again. And in 40 years, we'll be seeing the archives of the GCHQ with large swaths destroyed, along with the secret prison information missing because of it. The surveillance is there, the method to inform and spy deeply is there(social media), the only thing really missing is the rewards for reporting on your neighbors and of course. Knowing of course that the government is already creating a list of subversive acts in case you step out of line.
Om, nomnomnom...
What do you call a government where only the proles have to obey the "laws?" Totalitarian? Yeah, I think that's it. Can we please now stop pretending our governments are in any way, shape, or form represent the peoplpe?
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And the performance bonuses of incompentent secretaries and their advisors - untouched, and their references for future positions, not damaged by incompetence. Anyone going to be demoted or loose their job?
As schemed, meaningless unenforcable assurances.Just send lots of fake SMS's that look important enough to be investigated.Mention politicians by name, drug references, drop off points, cells, and offshore renumeration. Nothing like creating misunderstandings.
"Well I'm shocked, SHOCKED I say that a spy agency is spying"...
"The information you collected is here sir!"
"Thank You."
"Now round up the usual suspects! I've got some interrogations to do."
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
All that data will be used to ensure only the puppets people get elected. Good guys always think they're doing the good thing, it's true of Trumps followers too, they think they are doing the best for America, that allies and trading partners are screwing them over, and only Russia is treating them right.
Here the people doing the spying are telling themselves they're the good guys protecting UK from its own citizens.
what this doesn't mention is that they changed the law in (i think?) 2010, so that now they can do that and not have to worry the sheep about it.
A law with no enforcement has no practical outcome. This is contrary to enforcement with no law.
Right, because having an armed population clearly stops government from doing bad shit. *eyeroll*