What do you think about communications data collection and storage?

[David Hansen]

On 27 Apr 2009 at 11:37, Watkin Simon wrote:

> We've launched a consultation that suggests new ways for phone companies
> and internet service providers to collect and store data. The
> information they collect helps us catch criminals, find missing people
> and protect children from paedophiles.

There appears to be a fallacy in the "conultation". I have not read it, 
but it appears to suffer from the very dangeous conceit that those 
inside the tent wear white hats.

Although it is not directly to do with telphone companies and the like, 
the database at <http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/06/police-
surveillance-database-activists-intelligence> has nothing to do with 
catching criminals, finding missing people and protecting children from 
paedophiles. Rather it has everything to do with preventing political 
activity which the police don't like and allowing them to mount, "we 
know where you live", threats against the fine upstanding people who 
attended the climate camp. If I was a betting man I would bet that 
information provided by phone companies and internet service providers 
has been placed on this database too.

This comes just after the police, or more likely people pretending to 
be in the police, tried to bribe someone to get information 
<http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2504418.0.protester_po
lice_offered_me_taxfree_cash_in_supermarket.php> which would no doubt 
also have made it onto a database which has nothing to do with catching 
criminals, finding missing people and protecting children from 
paedophiles. I have met some of the people concerned and know that they 
do not eat babies or have two heads.

As it says in <http://www.planestupid.com/blogs/dan> 

"There's no need to carry out surveillance to catch us, we´re not going 
anywhere - you´ll find us chained by our necks to a conveyor belt, or 
superglued to the Prime Minister´s jacket. There is no need to punch or 
kick us either - that´s why we´re chanting "this is not a riot" with 
our hands in the air."


When I get round to reading the "consultation" I hope to be proved 
wrong and discover that the Home Office has considered these issues for 
a change, but I'm not holding my breath.



-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents 
me   
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54