NO, THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE!!!




Sunday - April 1, 2012


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 accessed in "real
time", The Sunday Times reported.


A previous attempt to introduce a similar law was abandoned by the former
Labour government in 2006 in the face of fierce opposition.


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.


The Home Office confirmed that ministers were intending to legislate "as
soon as parliamentary time allows".


"It is vital that police and security services are able to obtain
communications data in certain circumstances to investigate serious crime
and terrorism and to protect the public. We need to take action to maintain
the continued availability of communications data as technology changes,"
a spokesman said.


"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.


"This is an absolute attack on privacy online and it is far from clear
this will actually improve public safety, while adding significant costs to
internet businesses.


"If this was such a serious security issue why has the Home Office not
ensured these powers were in place before the Olympics?"


Shami Chakrabarti, director of the civil rights group Liberty, said that both
the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats had resisted the plan when they
were in opposition.


"There is an element of whoever you vote for the empire strikes back,"
she told Sky News's Murnaghan programme.


"This is more ambitious than anything that has been done before. It is a
pretty drastic step in a democracy.


"It was resisted under the last government. The coalition bound itself
together in the language of civil liberties. Do they still mean it?"


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.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9179087/Internet-activity-to-be-monitored-under-new-laws.html