The British government is proposing new legislation which would allow the police and secret service to monitor internet users’ email and web activity.
Unsurprisingly, privacy campaigners are up in arms about the plan which would force internet service providers to give British intelligence agencies’ real-time access to electronic communications.
However, the authorities argue that it is necessary for national security and to fight terrorism, online child abuse and organised crime.
Presently, ISPs keep details of which websites users visit, and who they send and receive emails and internet phone calls from, for 12 months. This information can be accessed retrospectively by investigators, provided the correct legal hoops (such as being granted a warrant from a magistrate’s court) were jumped through.
Under the new proposals, ISPs would install hardware from GCHQ – the…
Read more in my article on the Naked Security website.
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