Government to spy on email using £12bn database

Government to spy on email using £12bn database

www.itpro.co.uk

Government ministers are considering plans to spend an estimated £12 billion on a database to monitor and store Briton’s e-mails, texts and calls.

The Government’s Communication Headquarters (GCHQ) programme has already received £1bn in funding to begin the project. To monitor customers, hundreds of probes will be installed on networks.

The MI5 currently has a similar system, but can only proceed with surveillance if it has been approved by the home secretary.

The Home office said: "Ministers are considering what legislation is needed to ensure safeguards are in place to protect the privacy of the public."

IT PRO reported earlier this year on the possibility of the database, with the main concern among citizens being privacy.

Last year over 57 billion text messages were sent, along with three billion e-mails each day.

Michael Parker, of campaign group NO2ID, said the project would be a waste of money and called for a national debate on the matter.

"It just shows again this government's desire to turn itself into a stalker state," he said.

More details are expected to be released in the Queen’s speech next month.

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Gordon Browns nanny state wants even MORE powers to spy on its own citizens?

We already have blatant misuse of anti terror laws by councils and police, but this would extend those powers into our txts, calls and emails, with the possible result that nothing would be private anymore, and that there would be even more abuse of power.

There is, as well, the added concern about a database - given this governments record on protecting confidential information, we could not possibly be sure that our details would remain in the "safe" hands of GCHQ or MI5 - this has the potential to be one of the most intrusive pieces of legislation this government has produced.

At a cost of "only" £12 billion.

BAH - the sooner these lunatics are out of office, the better.

www.itpro.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)