Home Office says all data from web could be stored in giant government database
Internet “black boxes” will be used to collect every email and web visit in the UK under the Government’s plans for a giant “big brother” database, The Independent has learnt.
Home Office officials have told senior figures from the internet and telecommunications industries that the “black box” technology could automatically retain and store raw data from the web before transferring it to a giant central database controlled by the Government.
Plans to create a database holding information about every phone call, email and internet visit made in the UK have provoked a huge public outcry. Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, described it as “step too far” and the Government’s own terrorism watchdog said that as a “raw idea” it was “awful”.
Nevertheless, ministers have said they are committed to consulting on the new Communications Data Bill early in the new year. News that the Government is already preparing the ground by trying to allay the concerns of the internet industry is bound to raise suspicions about ministers’ true intentions. Further details of the database emerged on Monday at a meeting of internet service providers (ISPs) in London where representatives from BT, AOL Europe, O2 and BSkyB were given a PowerPoint presentation of the issues and the technology surrounding the Government’s Interception Modernisation Programme (IMP), the name given by the Home Office to the database proposal.
Re: UK government black boxes will ‘collect every email’
I can understand a government being afraid of its people, as it should, but Britain is taking it to far. All the cameras monitering all of the streets, xray cameras, telling people via speaker what to do on the streets, and now keeping record of everything everyone does electronically. creepy
Re: UK government black boxes will ‘collect every email’
They already do this and more. The problem is, the government here is unable to act on anything. They cannot even keep Terrorists in prision, let alone having the resources to look at anything porn related or what people do online (unless its extreme cases).
They might be collecting data and have been for a long time, but thats as far as it ever gets. They simply have not got the resouces and even if they did the Human Rights Lobby would tear them in pieces. Unfortunatley its the same Lobby who let extreme Islamic preachers and terrorists go free.
For example, benefit and social welfare fraud has never been higher. They are powerless to do anything. Here you get away with anything and everything.
The only ones that suffer are the ones who actually stick to the law. Here the law only applies to the people who stick to it. Criminals go free.
Re: UK government black boxes will ‘collect every email’
Honestly its not as bad as it sounds. Most of it is actually good. They NEED to monitor things, they NEED to check on people. I dont think you realize how much worse the UK has gotten the last 10 years, too much personal freedom, too much Human rights bollucks have messed up our society and created a free for all for crime paradise.
I live out in the countryside, you would have thought there is nothing to be worried about here. But no, the local farmers have been terrorised, their cars set on fire, houses broken into, themselves attacked. We even had our little cricket green vandalized the other day, and I dont mean just a little bit. It was totally ransacked and destroyed. Why would anyone want to do that? And thats here, in the middle or one of the most beautiful places in England. And who did it? Its not any local people, we all know who it is. But nothing can be done.
The police have done nothing about it even if they know how it is that done it. They dont even try to do anything about it, because nothing will come out of it. They courts demand better and better evidence, while giving less harsh sentences and often only warning, its more likly the police will end up in prision rather than the criminals.
[quote=Squirt;28133]
I can understand a government being afraid of its people, as it should, but Britain is taking it to far. All the cameras monitering all of the streets, xray cameras, telling people via speaker what to do on the streets, and now keeping record of everything everyone does electronically. creepy[/quote]
Re: UK government black boxes will ‘collect every email’
lol sorry, not sure what planet i was on when I wrote that.
I read the story again. no its not good what they are suggesting. However they already do collect most of what they mentioned like mobile phone calls etc.
The problem for me isnt that I’ve got anything to hide, i dont and I dont do anything illegal so i dont mind if they save the information.
The problem is who gets access to the data. The governement currently have a extremly bad track record of loosing and having sensitive information stolen or lost. That I see as a major issue!
