Orwell's 1984 takes a step closer

[Salisbury Wolf]

The government will be able to monitor the calls, emails, texts and website visits of everyone in the UK under new legislation set to be announced soon.

 

[Jungleee]

Absolutely ridiculous. Is this similar to that ACTA thing in Poland? Can't believe this isn't April Fools.

 

[North West Wanderer]

John Twelve Hawkes wrote a fantastic trilogy of books based on this very thing.

The rise of the panoptican. Scary.

 

[Pengwern]

Big Brother is listening into us

The Sunday Times has confirmed that the Government intends to go ahead with a plan to monitor all web browsing, e-mail, internet gaming and chat use, along with the monitoring of all phone calls and text messages.

This is a complete reversal of the promise by the Coalition Government to roll back the database state and restore the civil liberties lost under the previous Government.

Can the Tories on this site who claim their party stands for freedom explain this?

 

[Salisbury Wolf]

The Tories need to explain why they are now planning on implementing a law that they strongly opposed while in opposition...

 

[Paul76]

They do this anyway.

 

[Salisbury Wolf]

Not without getting a warrant first Paul. This new law will allow GCHQ access on-demand and in real time. It's a big step forward in the erosion of privacy.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Why not just get the telescreens installed in every home now?

 

[Apocalypse Now]

The Sunday Times has confirmed that the Government intends to go ahead with a plan to monitor all web browsing, e-mail, internet gaming and chat use, along with the monitoring of all phone calls and text messages.

This is a complete reversal of the promise by the Coalition Government to roll back the database state and restore the civil liberties lost under the previous Government.

Can the Tories on this site who claim their party stands for freedom explain this?

No I can't. Very disappointing development. Although if you are arguing for freedom for individuals then perhaps this really is April Fools day.

I happened to be on an IT Security course some years ago with a woman from GCHQ, and had some major disagreements. Her view was that nothing should be private and that if you disagreed with her view you must have something to hide. I guess she maybe quite senior now, god forbid.

 

[Salisbury Wolf]

Her view was that nothing should be private and that if you disagreed with her view you must have something to hide. I guess she maybe quite senior now, god forbid.

How many times are we going to hear this trotted out? Just waiting for the first post on this thread to state that. I'm going to take bets on the who's the first one.

 

[markb]

A simple suggestion: all those government ministers, civil servants and security chiefs proposing this to publish all of their internet emails, texts & websites visited for the next 12 months to show us how unobtrusive this will be. Then, we can hold a referendum on the matter. If they've got nothing to hide, why wouldn't they do this?

 

[johnybig32]

I bet there are some politicians desperately deleting browsing history and emails etc today.

Might as well build a big wall around the country and not let anyone in or out.

 

[Mutchy]

I bet there are some politicians desperately deleting browsing history and emails etc today.

Too late, as presumably they will be available via the ISP anyway.
I read that it will be email addresses, phone numbers, not the actual content of emails? Still shouldn't be available without a very specific and focused warrant.

 

[welshy]

Don't bother me at all, if it helps catch terrorists and pedo's then that's fine by me.

 

[derbyrameater]

How many times are we going to hear this trotted out? Just waiting for the first post on this thread to state that. I'm going to take bets on the who's the first one.

looks like we have a winner!

 

[Salisbury Wolf]

looks like we have a winner!

Not my odds on favourite though

 

[Burton Wolf]

$$$$ 'em all.

 

[leedswolf]

Just an inevitable extension of the existing Big (Brother) Society. IIRC the average UK citizen is recorded some 3k times per week on CCTV. Phone companies already retain data about their customers and give it to 650 public bodies on request.

 

[welshy]

Not my odds on favourite though

Only been browsing the OT forum these last few days, did your odds on happen to begin with 'B' ?