UK: Police to be granted powers to view your internet history

[webfact]

Police to be granted powers to view your internet history
By Nicola Harley

Home Secretary Theresa May expected to announce plans to give security services powers to view web browsing history of everyone in the country

LONDON: -- Police are to get the power to view the web browsing history of everyone in the country.

Home Secretary Theresa May will announce the plans when she introduces the Government's new surveillance bill in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

The Telegraph understands the new powers for the police will form part of the new bill.

It would make it a legal requirement for communications companies to retain all the web browsing history of customers for 12 months in case the spy agencies or police need to access them.

Police would be able to access specific web addresses visited by customers.

Full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11964655/Police-to-be-granted-powers-to-view-your-internet-history.html

-- The Telegraph 2015-10-30

[Somtamnication]

Note to self: update vpn contract and download ccleaner.

[robblok]

People complaining about single gateway in Thailand (bad idea) should complain about this too. This is real bad too. Big invasion of privacy. If this was suggested in Thailand you should see the fallout about the dumb Thais ect. Wonder how much flack this will get here.

[from the home of CC]

The U.K. gave up its civil liberties a long time ago (think of the hundred of thousands of cctv cameras clocking your every move), this should be of no surprise to anyone.

[Pimay1]

Anyone who trusts a politician is delusional. I hope Anonymous hacks Theresa May's email and posts every one of them on the net.

[Saradoc1972]

I did study a year of law in Belfast back in 1994, best time of my life. I had always been drawn to the UK, I liked it for its idiosyncrasies, the countryside, country-lanes, cottages, the culture there and the way of life.

And for the language, English is still a dear hobby of mine.

Today, I would not want to live there, it's pretty much a surveillance state, cuts to social services, no feel-good factor at all. And I know at least two British here in Thailand thinking just that way.

Pity that, as far as I know it all started under "New Labour" and Tony Blair.

[zaphod reborn]

No warrant required? Just a carte blanche invitation for the police and intelligence agencies to access all ISP data on its customers? So much for the UK's privacy laws and the scraps of a British constitution. Might as well dump democracy while they're at it.

Edited October 30, 2015 by zaphod reborn

[ukrules]

There will be a massive response to this, it could cost the government which implements it an election.

[vogie]

No warrant required? Just a carte blanche invitation for the police and intelligence agencies to access all ISP data on its customers? So much for the UK's privacy laws and the scraps of a British constitution. Might as well dump democracy while they're at it.

Desperate times require desperate measures, maybe better than getting a leg blown off. I'm afraid we have made a rod for our own backs in the UK!

[terryp]

No warrant required? Just a carte blanche invitation for the police and intelligence agencies to access all ISP data on its customers? So much for the UK's privacy laws and the scraps of a British constitution. Might as well dump democracy while they're at it.

Desperate times require desperate measures, maybe better than getting a leg blown off. I'm afraid we have made a rod for our own backs in the UK!

What garbage you have been brainwashed just as planned ; Benjamin Franklin once said:

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

That quote often comes up in the context of new technology and concerns about government surveillance.

[RuamRudy]

No warrant required? Just a carte blanche invitation for the police and intelligence agencies to access all ISP data on its customers? So much for the UK's privacy laws and the scraps of a British constitution. Might as well dump democracy while they're at it.

Desperate times require desperate measures, maybe better than getting a leg blown off. I'm afraid we have made a rod for our own backs in the UK!

In this case, desperate times are a cynical opportunity to sneak in the snooper's charter under the guise that it is about saving lives. The NSA in the US has been hoovering up people's private data for years, and with all that information, they have cracked precisely zero terrorism plots using it.

This is not about preventing terrorism, but about preventing dissent amongst the population. We might look to Turkey and Erdogan today and shake our heads, but the UK is not so far behind.

[jesimps]

People complaining about single gateway in Thailand (bad idea) should complain about this too. This is real bad too. Big invasion of privacy. If this was suggested in Thailand you should see the fallout about the dumb Thais ect. Wonder how much flack this will get here.

What on earth does this have to do with Thailand? Oh I see, it's an attempt by a groupy to justify the junta's single gateway plans.

[alant]

The U.K. gave up its civil liberties a long time ago (think of the hundred of thousands of cctv cameras clocking your every move), this should be of no surprise to anyone.

And they still miss crooks and terrorists

[dcutman]

As I recall in my many history classes, millions of people willingly fought and died over hundreds of years obtaining the civil liberties we have so long taken for granted. Why are so many willing to throw it all away now? Because of Government manufactured fear. It is the govt with an agenda that tries to convince you to believe that we are in imminent danger.

Most people in the past did not believe in the Boogie Man, not until the govt tells you he is out there for real, and will do anything to harm you.

[SheungWan]

No warrant required? Just a carte blanche invitation for the police and intelligence agencies to access all ISP data on its customers? So much for the UK's privacy laws and the scraps of a British constitution. Might as well dump democracy while they're at it.

Desperate times require desperate measures, maybe better than getting a leg blown off. I'm afraid we have made a rod for our own backs in the UK!

In this case, desperate times are a cynical opportunity to sneak in the snooper's charter under the guise that it is about saving lives. The NSA in the US has been hoovering up people's private data for years, and with all that information, they have cracked precisely zero terrorism plots using it.

This is not about preventing terrorism, but about preventing dissent amongst the population. We might look to Turkey and Erdogan today and shake our heads, but the UK is not so far behind.

Who says that they have cracked zero terrorist plots?

[RuamRudy]

No warrant required? Just a carte blanche invitation for the police and intelligence agencies to access all ISP data on its customers? So much for the UK's privacy laws and the scraps of a British constitution. Might as well dump democracy while they're at it.

Desperate times require desperate measures, maybe better than getting a leg blown off. I'm afraid we have made a rod for our own backs in the UK!

In this case, desperate times are a cynical opportunity to sneak in the snooper's charter under the guise that it is about saving lives. The NSA in the US has been hoovering up people's private data for years, and with all that information, they have cracked precisely zero terrorism plots using it.

This is not about preventing terrorism, but about preventing dissent amongst the population. We might look to Turkey and Erdogan today and shake our heads, but the UK is not so far behind.

Who says that they have cracked zero terrorist plots?

There is a link in my post - click it if you dare, but be aware that doing so will cause someone to whisper 'SheungWan' into Theresa May's ear.

[shirtless]

They still miss the terrorists , they dont really need this information as they cannot use it in real time situations that would save lives or property there is simply to much for authorities to act on. So what is it really for.not our benefit thats a certain.

[silent]

People complaining about single gateway in Thailand (bad idea) should complain about this too. This is real bad too. Big invasion of privacy. If this was suggested in Thailand you should see the fallout about the dumb Thais ect. Wonder how much flack this will get here.

Interesting point, but how does something that's only a concept in the first place get taken away by a single path only giving more potential for cost effective programs and monitoring whatever's needed to be? If they had that in the UK already easy money you wouldn't be reading this.

[MaeJoMTB]

The U.K. gave up its civil liberties a long time ago (think of the hundred of thousands of cctv cameras clocking your every move), this should be of no surprise to anyone.

And almost all streaming video sources are blocked from the UK now.

Oppressive police state, much worse than Thailand.

[cruisemonkey]

Big Brother is watching you.

[mrfill]

I did study a year of law in Belfast back in 1994, best time of my life. I had always been drawn to the UK, I liked it for its idiosyncrasies, the countryside, country-lanes, cottages, the culture there and the way of life.

And for the language, English is still a dear hobby of mine.

Today, I would not want to live there, it's pretty much a surveillance state, cuts to social services, no feel-good factor at all. And I know at least two British here in Thailand thinking just that way.

Pity that, as far as I know it all started under "New Labour" and Tony Blair.

They would say that.

It goes back a bit further than that. Back to the Blessed Margaret and her friends the Neo-cons.

Blair & Co were just following that well-trodden path.

[godden]

Hope they're not shy and on a second note the whole British government should be shot.

[Mudcrab]

Have you all lost the power of speech?

Is the internet the only form of communication available to you?

Have you really become that lazy?

For a lot people the internet in the form of social media didn't exist 20 years ago.

What "freedoms" have been lost, in reality.

Does this stop you chatting with friends....having a few beers with a few mates?

Or are you so inextricably immersed in digital communication you simply cannot see anything else?

I doubt the police are going to be interested in people visiting the odd porn site, with the exception of child exploitation sites, then they would be very interested.

The average punter checking out Ashley Maddison won't have Scotland Yard knocking on your door.

Planning a beheading might spark their interest though.

And that is the threat the UK and many other countries have to deal with.

The great thing about this "attack on freedom" is that it never delivers results as some posters have said.

Often the threat is eliminated before anything bad happens and the average Joe is never even aware it happened in the first place.

Yeah I know...the purists will always argue that any loss of freedom, perceived or otherwise is not good and will drag poor old Benny Franklin out of his grave to make him spruik his words yet again.

All a matter of opinion and the particular reality you live in.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Mudcrab

[RuamRudy]

Have you all lost the power of speech? Is the internet the only form of communication available to you?

Of course not, but it is a powerful means of communication that the government seeks to control - they cannot legislate against what you think, they are unlikely to be listening in to your whispering of sweet nothings to Mr or Mrs Mudcrab, but they can read your emails and save your internet history for a rainy day, when they might choose to use them against you. They know who you call, when you call them and probably even have listened in electronically. They already have the newspapers and mass media sewn up - now they want to control the internet too.

[Doc46]

As I recall in my many history classes, millions of people willingly fought and died over hundreds of years obtaining the civil liberties we have so long taken for granted. Why are so many willing to throw it all away now? Because of Government manufactured fear. It is the govt with an agenda that tries to convince you to believe that we are in imminent danger.

Most people in the past did not believe in the Boogie Man, not until the govt tells you he is out there for real, and will do anything to harm you.

The Government IS the boogie man and he will hurt you,,No freedom of speech,laws and rules and fines and fees we never seen before,and so on and on.

[Mudcrab]

Have you all lost the power of speech? Is the internet the only form of communication available to you?

Of course not, but it is a powerful means of communication that the government seeks to control - they cannot legislate against what you think, they are unlikely to be listening in to your whispering of sweet nothings to Mr or Mrs Mudcrab, but they can read your emails and save your internet history for a rainy day, when they might choose to use them against you. They know who you call, when you call them and probably even have listened in electronically. They already have the newspapers and mass media sewn up - now they want to control the internet too.

They can know my every whereabouts by tracking and triangulating my mobile phone.

They know what my shopping preferences are and how much I spend by my use of a loyalty card.

They know every financial transaction I make electronically.

They have my photo and personal details from my drivers license and passport.

All they are doing is making it legal to track the internet sites I frequent....note i said make legal.....this has been going on for a very long time but previously needed an easily obtained warrant to do so.

[Boon Mee]

Orwell is rolling over in his grave...

[RuamRudy]

Have you all lost the power of speech?

Is the internet the only form of communication available to you?

Have you really become that lazy?

For a lot people the internet in the form of social media didn't exist 20 years ago.

What "freedoms" have been lost, in reality.

Does this stop you chatting with friends....having a few beers with a few mates?

Or are you so inextricably immersed in digital communication you simply cannot see anything else?

I doubt the police are going to be interested in people visiting the odd porn site, with the exception of child exploitation sites, then they would be very interested.

The average punter checking out Ashley Maddison won't have Scotland Yard knocking on your door.

Planning a beheading might spark their interest though.

And that is the threat the UK and many other countries have to deal with.

The great thing about this "attack on freedom" is that it never delivers results as some posters have said.

Often the threat is eliminated before anything bad happens and the average Joe is never even aware it happened in the first place.

Yeah I know...the purists will always argue that any loss of freedom, perceived or otherwise is not good and will drag poor old Benny Franklin out of his grave to make him spruik his words yet again.

All a matter of opinion and the particular reality you live in.

I am confused - unless I misread your post, you acknowledge that mass surveillance as a tool against terrorism has yielded nothing helpful, yet you are happy for your personal and private communications to be collected and stored without cause or justification, possibly to be used against you in the future? Your faith in government is somewhat naive, if you don't mind me saying so.

[RuamRudy]

All they are doing is making it legal to track the internet sites I frequent....note i said make legal.....this has been going on for a very long time but previously needed an easily obtained warrant to do so.

All they are doing??? It is none of their business what websites I peruse!

Polticians are liars; our government in inherently self interested and will use every means possible to squash dissent and protect itself, whether it be by slashing the wrists of doctors on quiet hillsides or administering fatal doses of insulin to troublesome brothel madams. Now that they have another means of checking up on you, you are further exposed.

[Mudcrab]

All they are doing is making it legal to track the internet sites I frequent....note i said make legal.....this has been going on for a very long time but previously needed an easily obtained warrant to do so.

All they are doing??? It is none of their business what websites I peruse!

Polticians are liars; our government in inherently self interested and will use every means possible to squash dissent and protect itself, whether it be by slashing the wrists of doctors on quiet hillsides or administering fatal doses of insulin to troublesome brothel madams. Now that they have another means of checking up on you, you are further exposed.

Glad I don't come from your country.

Tell me where that is so that I never go there by mistake.

No wonder you have such an outlook on life.