Times 7/3/2000: "Changing world of the snoopers"

[Caspar Bowden]

http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/03/08/timnwsnws01045.html
Changing world of the snoopers

OFFICIAL interception of communications has become a growth industry to keep
up with the rapid advances in technology (Michael Evans writes).

In 1985, when the Interception of Communications Act came into force, mobile
phones, e-mails, pagers and the Internet were not in widespread use.
Encryption of telecommunications was also not available to the public.

Today, with the proliferation of different communications mediums, all of
which are used by serious criminal groups, the efforts to monitor and
eavesdrop on targeted individuals and organisations have become more
complex.

Although the arrest of Julie Ann Davies is being handled in great secrecy,
there is every likelihood that if the Home Secretary approved a warrant to
intercept her communications, her e-mails will have been included, provided
she used a licensed service provider. E-mails sent through unlicensed
service providers are currently not covered by any surveillance legislation.
A new regulatory bill will change that if it is given Royal Assent.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill, which Jack Straw is taking
through Parliament, will embrace all the covert surveillance and
interception of communications laws.

The Government hopes to have the legislation passed by the summer.