Council admits spying on family

Council admits spying on family

news.bbc.co.uk

A council has admitted spying on a family using laws to track criminals and terrorists to find out if they were really living in a school catchment.

A couple and their three children were put under surveillance without their knowledge by Poole Borough Council for more than two weeks.

The council admitted using powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) on six occasions in total.

Three of those were for suspected fraudulent school place applications.

(visit the link for the full news article)

So, it appears that laws that were meant to keep us safe from terrorists and the like are now being used to check up on people who are just trying to ensure the best for their kids.

Talk about disproportionate!

I think that here we are seeing the future - insomuch as laws that were enacted to allegedly protect us are now being used in a completly inappropriate way.

I fear that this is the real start of the downward spiral into a complete surveillance state.

The people who did this should hang their heads in shame for they have created a terrible precendent.

If it is proven legal to use this law for purposes such as this, then it will be open to abuse and we will have to be permanently watching our backs.

Scary stuff.

Also, what a waste of resources. This surveillance time and money could have been spent on far far better things.

Little people going power mad, perhaps?

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

[edit on 11-4-2008 by more_serotonin_pls]

Scary indeed.

What about the ones we don't hear about... that don't get 'caught' or reported?

It blows my mind that these senseless people have nothing better to do with their lives than make others lives miserable.

Really, now thats its begun (as far as we know)... how does anyone stop it?

What a good use of local Council Tax money

If I remember correctly, local council senior officers do not have to apply for court orders for surveillance of even phone lines as the police currently have to.

I really can't help thinking that a simple check of their own electoral records would have shown the address of the families concerned, enabling the council to determine whether their children go to whatever school. Is that too logical or am I missing something here?

reply to post by Britguy


It is a complete waste of money, without a doubt.

However, I seriously think that this a combination of people who have a little bit of power allowing it to go their heads, coupled with an attempt on the part of the government to see how far they go.

They are perhaps pushing thisngs to see what the public reaction will be as the population are controlled more and more.

I'm surprised that no-one has anything much to say on this though, because it really is a worrying development.

Originally posted by Grailkeeper
What about the ones we don't hear about... that don't get 'caught' or reported?

Exactly. I'm sure It's pretty unnerving when you find out your own County is spying on you...Or even just entertaining the thought of the possibility that they could be...

MSP made a good point, about people letting their power go to their heads...how does that saying go? Absolute power corupts absolutely?

I am also so surprised not many have commented...as it was said earlier in this post by GrailKeeper... It has started, and how are we supposed to stop it...?

These laws were passed using terrorism as an excuse for more government snooping, but terrorism was never the real reason. Governments simply continually seek more power over their citizens, and unless the citizens resist, they get it.

They'll always introduce new restrictions on individual rights and say they're only doing it to fight terrorists, or child molesters, or some other group nobody in their right mind is going to defend. And then when it's too late, people will realize that they've been snookered, and that the intended targets of the laws are not child molesters or terrorists, but ordinary citizens.

Depressing, although not surprising, to see that the dynamic in the UK is much the same as it is here.

[edit on 4/11/08 by xmotex]

Originally posted by more_serotonin_pls

So, it appears that laws that were meant to keep us safe from terrorists and the like are now being used to check up on people who are just trying to ensure the best for their kids.



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

[edit on 11-4-2008 by more_serotonin_pls]

Did you ever have any doubt that they would do this? The various agencies that have been given license tend to use that license, quite liberally, upon it's inception.