Posted on 04/01/2012 11:16:52 AM PDT by null and void
Ministers are preparing a major expansion of the Government's powers to monitor the email exchanges and website visits of every person in the UK, it was reported today.
Under legislation expected in next month's Queen's Speech, internet companies will be instructed to install hardware enabling GCHQ – the Government's electronic "listening" agency – to examine "on demand" any phone call made, text message and email sent, and website However ministers believe it is essential that the police and security services have access to such communications data in order to tackle terrorism and protect the public.
Although GCHQ would not be able to access the content of such communications without a warrant, the legislation would enable it to trace people individuals or groups are in contact with, and how often and for how long they are in communication.
"Communications data includes time, duration and dialling numbers of a phone call, or an email address. It does not include the content of any phone call or email and it is not the intention of Government to make changes to the existing legal basis for the interception of communications."
Nick Pickles, director of the Big Brother Watch campaign group, said: "This is an unprecedented step that will see Britain adopt the same kind of surveillance seen in China and Iran.
"There is an element of whoever you vote for the empire strikes back," she told Sky News's Murnaghan programme.
Conservative backbencher Margot James said ministers would come under pressure to water down the proposals as the legislation passed through Parliament.
"I am sure there will be considerable pressure brought to bear as the proposals are debated for protections to be built in to protect people's privacy," she told the Murnaghan programme.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Surrre. Riiight. If they have an inch, they're going to take a mile. I know "they" were monitoring my useage for the past 4 years. "They" have crashed two of my puters. Or was it three?
Big data centers have lots of vulnerabilities - water, power, backup power, major optical network interconnections. Having all your eggs in one basket is a real design problem, too. Lack of geospatial diversity is a no-no in the commercial world.
We have all been sold a Bill of Goods on the War on Terror.
It's not about fighting and stopping Terror it's an excuse to control us and that's all.
In the end the terrorists have won as they have become the insturment for Big Government and Big Brother to watch us all.
Yup and I hope they hate what they see.....
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