phone lookups (was: BBC News Online: 'Snoop' plans put on hold)

[Quentin Campbell]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alison Wheeler [mailto:crypto@alisonwheeler.com]
> Sent: 21 June 2002 13:41
> To: ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk
> Subject: RE: phone lookups (was: BBC News Online: 'Snoop'=20
> plans put on hold)
>=20
>=20
> Richard D G Cox sent:
> >> a couple of months ago I needed to be able to do forward
> lookups and
> >> bought the (=A3199) UK-Info Disk 2002 which covers UK and Ireland.
> >
> > My experience of that product suggests a unacceptable level of
> > inaccuracy!
>=20
> agreed, indeed an ex of mine pointed out the disk has the
> postcode wrong, but I believe this is also part of the issue;=20
> the data I am accessing (and yes, quite possibly out of date=20
> at pressing) is basically the same data that the government=20
> would be using - warts and all - and therefore the same=20
> possibility (even probability) of /them/ making errors in=20
> seeing who I may have been on the telephone to / from are=20
> just as likely.

The 1967 Wireless Telegraphy Act (1967 c. 72) was brought in primarily =
to "enable the Postmaster general to obtain information as to the sale =
and hire of television receiving sets".=20

I wonder how long before some similar Bill is tabled to require the =
notification and recording of _all_ purchases of phones and other comms =
kit? I have in mind here PAYG phones in particular but also PMR =
transceivers and the like that can be purchaed from many high street =
shops.

Quentin