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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8350660.stm
UK surveillance plan to go ahead
By Dominic Casciani
BBC News
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 Social networks: Data recorded - but not content
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The Home Office says it will push ahead with plans to ask communications firms to monitor all internet use.
Ministers confirmed their intention despite concerns and opposition from some in the industry.
The proposals include asking firms to retain information on how people use social networks such as Facebook.
Some40% of respondents to the Home Office's consultation opposed the plans- but ministers say communication interception needs to be updated.
Boththe police and secret security services have legal powers in the UK tointercept communications in the interests of combating crime or threatsto national security.
But the rules largely focus oncommunications over telephones and do not cover the whole range ofinternet communications now being used.
The Home Office says itwants to change the law to compel communication service providers(CSPs) to collect and retain records of communications from a widerrange of internet sources, from social networks through to chatroomsand unorthodox methods, such as within online games.
Ministerssay that they do not want to create a single government-owned databaseand only intend to ask CSPs to hold a record of a contact, rather thanthe actual contents of what was said.
Technically challenging
Police and other agencies would then be able to ask CSPs for information on when a communication was sent and between whom.
In theory, law enforcement agencies will be able to link thatinformation to specific devices such as an individual's smartphone orlaptop.
The proposals are technically challenging, as theywould require a CSP to sort and organise all third-party traffic comingand going through their systems. The estimated £2bn bill for theproject includes compensation for the companies involved.
HomeOffice minister David Hanson said: "Communications data is crucial tothe fight against crime and in keeping people safe. It is a highlytechnical area and one which demands a fine balance between privacy andmaintaining the capabilities of the police and security services.
"Theconsultation showed widespread recognition of the importance ofcommunications data in protecting the public and an appreciation of thechallenges which rapidly changing technology poses.
"We willnow work with communications service providers and others to developthese proposals, and aim to introduce necessary legislation as soon aspossible."
Opposition and concern
The consultationresults reveal that 90 of the 221 responses opposed the basicprinciples that the government should be seeking a method to retain orlook at the data.
The Home Office said that there was a"widespread but not unanimous" recognition of the role of data inprotecting the public. But many concerns related to the detail of whatwould be done with the information.
Christopher Graham, theInformation Commissioner responsible for overseeing the protection ofprivate information, told the Home Office that while he recognised thatthe police needed to use communication data to stop crime, this initself was not a justification to collect all possible data passingthrough the internet.
"The proposal represents a step change in the relationship between the citizen and the state," said Mr Graham.
"Forthe first time, this proposal is asking CSPs to collect and createinformation they would not have previously held and to go further inconducting additional processing on that information.
"Evidence for this proposal must be available to demonstrate that such a step change is necessary and proportionate."
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发表于 2009-11-10 15:59
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