'Big Brother' database for phones and e-mails

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Brian Randell <Brian.Randell () ncl ac uk>
> Date: May 20, 2008 1:24:54 PM EDT
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> Subject: 'Big Brother' database for phones and e-mails

> Hi Dave:
>
> This is (I'm ashamed to say) from today's (London) Times. For IP if  
> you wish.
>
> cheers
>
> Brian
>
> PS Already there are nearly 300 comments posted on the article - also
> worth sampling.
>
> ------
>
>
> 'Big Brother' database for phones and e-mails
>
> Richard Ford
>
> A massive government database holding details of every phone call,
> e-mail and time spent on the internet by the public is being planned
> as part of the fight against crime and terrorism. Internet service
> providers (ISPs) and telecoms companies would hand over the records
> to the Home Office under plans put forward by officials.
>
> The information would be held for at least 12 months and the police
> and security services would be able to access it if given permission
> from the courts.
>
> The proposal will raise further alarm about a "Big Brother" society,
> as it follows plans for vast databases for the ID cards scheme and
> NHS patients. There will also be concern about the ability of the
> Government to manage a system holding billions of records. About 57
> billion text messages were sent in Britain last year, while an
> estimated 3 billion e-mails are sent every day.
>
> Home Office officials have discussed the option of the national
> database with telecommunications companies and ISPs as part of
> preparations for a data communications Bill to be in November's
> Queen's Speech. But the plan has not been sent to ministers yet.
>
> Jonathan Bamford, the assistant Information Commissioner, said: "This
> would give us serious concerns and may well be a step too far. We are
> not aware of any justification for the State to hold every UK
> citizen's phone and internet records. We have real doubts that such a
> measure can be justified, or is proportionate or desirable. We have
> warned before that we are sleepwalking into a surveillance society.
> Holding large collections of data is always risky - the more data
> that is collected and stored, the bigger the problem when the data is
> lost, traded or stolen."
>
> <snip>
>
> Full story at:
>
> http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article3965033.ece
>
>
>
> --
> School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon  
> Tyne,
> NE1 7RU, UK
> EMAIL = Brian.Randell () ncl ac uk   PHONE = +44 191 222 7923
> FAX = +44 191 222 8232  URL = http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/people/brian.randell

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