UK govt. mulls new Internet spying laws

Under legislation expected in next month’s Queen’s Speech, Internet companies would be required to install hardware which would allow the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a British intelligence agency also referred to as Britain’s electronic ‘listening’ agency, to gain access to British people’s communications data.

The details of any phone call, email exchange, and website visit would be available to the British police and security services so that the government would be able to “protect the public,” reported the Sunday Times.

“It is vital that police and security services are able to obtain communications data,” said a Home Office spokesperson.

“Communications data includes time, duration and dialling numbers of a phone call, or an email address,” he added.

The Home Office also said that the law would be passed “as soon as parliamentary time allows.”

Earlier in February, the Telegraph reported that the British government would order phone companies and broadband providers to record the details of all phone calls, text messages, and emails and restore the data for one year.

Online spying on the British public would be another instance of invading their privacy as “Britain is already one of the most spied on countries off-line,” as described by Big Brother Watch, a campaign group defending individual privacy and civil liberties.

ISH/HE

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