Government agencies listening in on others' conversation is to be legalised in Britan. In a bid to tackle crime and terrorism threats in the nation, the Britain government has decided to set up an agency where all the phone calls and emails will be monitored.
"It is vital that police and security services are able to obtain communications data in certain circumstances to investigate serious crime and terrorism and to protect the public," a Home Office spokesman said
At present, British agencies are allowed to moniter calls and e-mails of particular individuals who may be under investigation after obtaining ministerial approval. However, widening the net and hauling all the citizens under this category will certainly earn displeasure of civil right activist communities and common people.
The ruling Conservative Party had already come under fire over the new legislation. That instantly drew flak from opposition and inflicted a rift within the party.
"What the government hasn't explained is precisely why they intend to eavesdrop on all of us without even going to a judge for a warrant, which is what always used to happen," Member of Parliament David Davis told BBC News.
The internet companies had to share information with the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) if demanded by the agency. In addition the internet firms have to install a hardware that will enable easy access to the monitoring body to the needed scoops.
However, the GCHQ will not get access to the contents of phone calls and e-mails. It would be allowed to trace who an individual or group was in contact with, how frequently they communicated and for how long.
"As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, we will legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows to ensure that the use of communications data is compatible with the government's approach to civil liberties," the Home Office spokesman said.
Meanwhile, this move has been perceived as an attack on individual's privacy and accounting to totalitarian by majority.
"What the government hasn't explained is precisely why they intend to eavesdrop on all of us without even going to a judge for a warrant, which is what always used to happen," Member of Parliament David Davis told BBC News.
"It is an unnecessary extension of the ability of the state to snoop on ordinary people," he added.
(With inputs from Reuters)
