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Goodbye To Your Freedom, UK

Jonfairway

Jonfairway

Justified & Ancient
Joined
Mar 9, 2005
Messages
1,384
While en-masse monitoring of postal services is something that does not go in the UK, if a new proposed law enters the statute books, then internet communications will become one of the most monitored aspects of UK life. Over the weekend it was revealed that the Queen's Speech will be used to announce a new law that will allow to see who people in the UK are sending emails to, what websites they visit, contacting people via instant message apps etc.

The law will fall short of allowing them to view the content of emails and messages, that will still require a warrant. The system will require internet providers to provide GCHQ access to communications in an on-demand manner in a real time manner.

The previous Labour Government attempted a similar law back in 2006, but this was never passed, so it is interesting to see something very similar re-surface six years later. In those six years a lot has changeed, and broadband and living our lives on line is normal, rather than the exception.
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http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/5137 ... oring.html


told ya so !!!


7 years ago
i was scoffed at
 
For once i agree with Jon, i find this a very worrying idea.
 
I read all Jon's emails. They're mainly about golf.
 
Can't see it actually working tho'. This the UK, remember. A phrase containing such words as 'piss up' and 'brewery' spring to mind.
 
At this very moment the incompetence of MI6 is being discussed on BBC2.
 
Can't see it actually working tho'. This the UK, remember. A phrase containing such words as 'piss up' and 'brewery' spring to mind.
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hoping they dont get it right isnt a good defence against loosing your liberties !!
 
Jonfairway said:
Can't see it actually working tho'. This the UK, remember. A phrase containing such words as 'piss up' and 'brewery' spring to mind.
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hoping they dont get it right isnt a good defence against loosing your liberties !!
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Yeah, we're already losing our libraries.
 
don't normally do petitions but i signed that one.Bast government its been years since i cba with anything like this. :evil:
 
Jonfairway said:
hoping they dont get it right isnt a good defence against loosing your liberties !!
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Hope isn't part of the equation. It has to get through Parliament. Then it has to be procured. Then it will probably end up costing a ton and be out of date by the time it gets anywhere near being utilised - if it isn't scrapped by a different party in power.
 
Jerry_B said:
Jonfairway said:
hoping they dont get it right isnt a good defence against loosing your liberties !!
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Hope isn't part of the equation. It has to get through Parliament. Then it has to be procured. Then it will probably end up costing a ton and be out of date by the time it gets anywhere near being utilised - if it isn't scrapped by a different party in power.
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How do you know they haven't already written the software and got the system in place? I think it's already there, from the previous government.
 
They're reading this discussion right now and they are getting paid for it.
 
ramonmercado said:
They're reading this discussion right now and they are getting paid for it.
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Wish I had a job like that. Easy life!
 
Mythopoeika said:
ramonmercado said:
They're reading this discussion right now and they are getting paid for it.
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Wish I had a job like that. Easy life!
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I know, MOSSAD refuse to pay me for time spent on the FTMB. :cry:
 
Jerry_B said:
Can't see it actually working tho'. This the UK, remember. A phrase containing such words as 'piss up' and 'brewery' spring to mind.
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A flawed system of surveillance and intelligence gathering run by the inept can be far more of a threat to the innocent than an effective tool in the hands of the ruthlessly efficient.
 
hmm sign an e-mail petition to the government demanding it not read my e-mails. (i do irony)
 
Mythopoeika said:
How do you know they haven't already written the software and got the system in place? I think it's already there, from the previous government.
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UK government procurement of IT-related stuff has not ever been all that efficient. If they've managed to do it on the sly and not over-budget, I'd be very surprised.
 
jimv1 said:
A flawed system of surveillance and intelligence gathering run by the inept can be far more of a threat to the innocent than an effective tool in the hands of the ruthlessly efficient.
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If it works at all...
 
Jerry_B said:
Mythopoeika said:
How do you know they haven't already written the software and got the system in place? I think it's already there, from the previous government.
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UK government procurement of IT-related stuff has not ever been all that efficient. If they've managed to do it on the sly and not over-budget, I'd be very surprised.
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I used to work in social welfare in Ireland, DSW, then DSCFA, now DSP.

We had a frightening search function for matching up details, and it got better. I eventually moved into IT work and maintained Child Benefit progs & DBs as an analyst. Left the dept in 2001.

I dread to think what its capable of now.

They are probably exaggerating about what they can do but be afraid...
 
Hope isn't part of the equation. It has to get through Parliament. Then it has to be procured. Then it will probably end up costing a ton and be out of date by the time it gets anywhere near being utilised - if it isn't scrapped by a different party in power.
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Jerry assumes position and firmly buries head in sand.....
 
Jonfairway said:
Jerry assumes position and firmly buries head in sand.....
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:roll:

No, Jerry doesn't automatically assume the worst nor does he believe that the UK govt are any good at organising such things. He's also wary due to previous claims about 'police state UK' that didn't come true (ID cards, etc).

To bury one's head in the sand would be to assume the worst.
 
Jerry_B said:
Jonfairway said:
Jerry assumes position and firmly buries head in sand.....
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:roll:

No, Jerry doesn't automatically assume the worst nor does he believe that the UK govt are any good at organising such things. He's also wary due to previous claims about 'police state UK' that didn't come true (ID cards, etc).

To bury one's head in the sand would be to assume the worst.
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Yeah, it didn't come true [ID cards] because people were against it and were doing something. If we had been happy with it, it would have happened. However whilst you are right that the gov is useless, it does use quickly slapped up schemes that it then implement even if it doesn't work or works to the detriment of innocent people [ATOS assessments for example]. So I would always speak out even if I thought that they can't do it 100%, because if it works for 10% and makes their numbers look good and nobody is against it, it will happen. Never just sit back and assume anything. After all I'm sure there were enough Germans saying that killing millions of people is impossible and just sat back. Surprised they got!
 
I do actually wonder if GCHQ can't already do this and are just asking for a legal framework. I am a bit surprised if they can't.

If they start designing the tech from scratch now it will be the usual expensive cockup. I'd vote against it just from the waste of money and time thing.
 
Monstrosa said:
ECHELON anyone?
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Exactly! The Americans also have some software called Carnivore. They may well have handed the UK a copy (just a speculation on my part).
 
Jerry_B said:
jimv1 said:
A flawed system of surveillance and intelligence gathering run by the inept can be far more of a threat to the innocent than an effective tool in the hands of the ruthlessly efficient.
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If it works at all...
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Sorry Jerry_B. The wider picture is that a lot of other slightly more sinister countries may look at the British model of democracy and think 'If it's good enough for them...'
Those in other countries at the more pointy and dangerous end of the erosion of civil liberties don't think 'It'll never happen'. They're more likely to fall in favour of the phrase 'Eternal vigilance'.
A lost liberty is a very hard thing to win back which is why we should never give it up in the first place. Even through complacence.
 
This still all assumes that any of it will get off of the ground, even if it gets through parliament...
 
Jerry_B said:
This still all assumes that any of it will get off of the ground, even if it gets through parliament...
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The idea of our governments as being too incompetent to threaten our liberties might be comforting, but it's not very realistic considering they have already been competent enough to remove a lot of our most basic rights, including our right to peaceful protest. Britain just isn't any longer the cosy place of tea and cake and cricket and creaky old institutions, even if it ever was. It's dangerously authoritarian and getting more so, and the plea 'it will never happen here' is probably the best way of ensuring it will.
 
You're all being ridiculous. It'll only be an issue, if you have combinations of words such as bomb, suicide, Pentagon, Jihad and so on. The rest of us have nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.......Hold on a sec...somebody at the door...........................................What do you mean officer? I never said that....yes but............Nee naw nee naw nee naw....................
 
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