https - hopefully not too stupid a question

[Tom Thomson]

> > Getting third parties to store this data and make hand it over might be
> rather difficult.
> 
> But clearly not impossible.
> http://www.google.com/transparencyreport/userdatarequests/
> 
> ian

I agree, it's not going to be impossible for all requests made to all social networking sites.  But that doesn't mean that it is possible for all requests to all social networking sites, or that it will be equally easy/difficult/impossible for social networking sites based in different countries.

For example the Google figures you reference show that a significant proportion of requests are not complied with; for example only 63% of the UK's requests for data were complied with in whole or in part.  

Using social networking sites whose servers are in Scandinavia might be an interesting option.  I must see if I can find a suitable pod in Denmark or in Norway - I suspect there's a fair chance that would make getting the data impossible.

And it remains to be seen whether what this bill claims is comms data is indeed comms data according to the relevant EU directives - I suspect that will need testing in court, and will fail if the UK definitions allow the authorities to discover recipients of every communication (because that would amount to knowing who has accessed a particular resource, not just who has accessed a particular website, and surely the uri beyond the first "/"  is not comms data).

M.