GCHQ statement on "Mastering the Internet"

[David Hansen]

On 4 May 2009 at 10:58, Richard Lamont wrote:

> The GCHQ press release is here (HTML and PDF respectively):
> 
> http://www.gchq.gov.uk/prelease.html
> http://www.gchq.gov.uk/gchq_prelease.pdf

Thanks for that. As I expected it is generic waffle, possibly 
reassuring to those who don't want to think about it.

I thought this bit would be amusing, if it wasn't serious, "GCHQ is 
subject to rigorous parliamentary and judicial oversight".

Ditto with "GCHQ does not target anyone indiscriminately - all our 
activities are proportionate to the threats against which we seek to 
guard". The obvious flaws in that waffle being that what they consider 
proportionate and what the public consider proportionate may be 
radically different, and the question of what the public would think of 
the "threats". Then there are the Alex Carlisles of this world, who are 
campaigners for ever more intrusion despite being paid to regulate 
intrusion.

Then there is the usual insult to our intelligence, "national security, 
safeguarding our economic well being and the prevention and detection 
of serious crime".






-- 
  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