The recent horrific murder of a soldier in London has caused our politicians in the UK to have a knee jerk reaction.
The Communications Data Bill (or Snoopers Charter) was previously knocked back because of fears of invasion of privacy.
In essence it means that communications providers (ISPs, telecomms providers) would have to keep records of the detailed activities of their customers. These details could be requested by certain authorities without requiring a warrant, though this would still be required for the content of the communications.
Therefore your ISP will keep records of your web searches and pages viewed, Skype will keep details of your calls, mobile phone providers will keep records of your calls and texts, the list goes on.
By stating that a warrant will be required to access content it is clear that this must also be retained. Your every move is effectively tracked (for example the location of your mobile when you make or receive a call). Big Brother really will be watching you!
Now it seems that they want to dust it off and bring it back.
What is the point however? All of this data retention and indexing will cost money, and ultimately it will be us that pays. Those of us who are innocent will be monitored.
Those with something to hide, those criminals or terrorists that the bill is intended to track, will however find a way around it. It is already very easy to buy a Pay As You Go mobile for cash without supplying any details. Likewise internet access 'dongles' which enable browsing, web mail products and so on.
There are also likely to be 'underground' internet systems with ISPs who perhaps don't believe in government edicts, and what about foreign ISPs?
The proposal is full of holes and will only result in the innocent being even more put upon.
What if I use a taxi firm which turns out to have a driver with criminal connections, will my phone links to them result in me being monitored? Or perhaps a friend of a friend on a social networking site turns out to be a drug user, is my name blackened by association?
I think this bill will be an expensive waste of time and should be stopped. It is in many ways similar to the National ID scheme launched by the previous administration - supposedly to prevent terrorism but in the Madrid train bombings I believe all the terrorists had their ID cards, it didn't prevent the attack though.
I shall be writing to my MP, I suggest you think about this and if you agree then please write to your MP.
