The New Dark Age

Internet ` black boxes` will be used to collect every email and web visit in the UK under controversial government’s plans to set up a giant ‘big brother’ database, it was reported Wednesday.

Home Office officials have told senior figures from the internet and telecommunications industries that black box technology could automatically store raw data before transferring it to a giant government-controlled database, according to the Independent.

Details of the database were said to have emerged at a meeting with internet service providers (ISPs) in London this week, when a presentation was made of what was called the government’s Interception Modernisation Programme (IMP).

Plans to create a database holding information about every phone call, email and internet visit made in the UK have already provoked a huge public outcry.

Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, described it as ‘step too far’ and the government’s own terrorism watchdog said that as a ‘raw idea’ it was ‘awful.’

The Independent quoted a source close to the meeting saying it was clarified that the government will hold all the data, but ‘what isn’t clear is what the Home Secretary, GCHQ (monitoring centre) and the security services intend to do with all this information.’ Experts told the meeting the security and intelligence agencies wanted to use the stored data to help fight serious crime and terrorism.

The controversial plans are expected to be included in the government’s Communications Data Bill early in the new year, with ministers said to be insisting that they only want to return to a position of monitoring mail before the emergence of the internet. –IRNA

Source: Mathaba Net