Thetownend.com

The government has just announced a plan to spy on us all, to be pushed through “as soon as Parliamentary time allows”. [1] They want to see details of who we call, text and email, and which websites we visit - without any kind of warrant or reason. They want to force phone and internet companies to install special devices to provide all this data on each and every one of us.

Petition here

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/stop-the-snooping-plan

Its fine by me. I have nothing to hide.

Same here. I don't like hats of the tin foil variety.

Signed it.

Government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.  The state does not own me, and I have not given permission for my private conversations to be accessed by people working for the state.  The state can fucking do one, so far as I'm concerned.  It should know its place.

Supporter of the nanny state then

I have nothing to hide, but this does seem a step too far...

what Ardiles said, apart from the signing it bit as you you may as well piss in the wind than sign a petition

a

More of a dangling of the fishing rod really as I am bored!

That's fine, but still doesn't make it right.

Billions in debt, huge unemployment and their priorities are to spy on us and tax cornish pasties, what a bunch of tosspots.

They can already access all of this information retrospectively if they wanted to, the only difference is this allows them to see it in real-time.

Can they access my browsing history ??  :wink:

Hope they can see this     :moon:

With a court order or warrant Sam

How many millions is this going to cost us? Is it really necessary?


Possibly WR5, but how else do we get our thoughts across, by the time the next elections get here it will be too late

I don't think this applies to Bangkok, MI6 do that already ;)

Another waste of time, money and effort by the Government. They can already ask to monitor anybody they like.

To look at it another - how many lives is it going to save?  Will people complain we should have been doing more to prevent terrorism when a UK 911 strikes?

Seriously, this ain't going to used for spying on TEF members wanting sessions over a bit of porn or to grass you up to your boss for slagging you off...

How many more lives would it save if the cash went to the NHS?

Have they said why? I think their time could be better spent, maybe trying to boost the economy of the country - or something like that.

@MacPhlea that's just what "they" want you to think

GCHQ are already all over social networking. Its the next logical step, they'll get their terrorist leads from the TEF in the same way the Adver get their scoops.

PS Shouldn't you be out fixing the corner between the DRS and Town End?

Google have been doing this sort of thing for years and nobody seems to give a fuck about that.

Finally, somebody asks a sensible question! Interesting that everybody's first thought is "how dare they do this to me" rather than asking what the purpose is and what it'll be used for. MacPhlea is spot on - the reality is it'll have next to no impact on any of our lives, as it's not supposed to be a measure to abuse the rights of your average TEF member.

As Samdy mentioned, Google are doing this and they ARE targeting at you, yet nobody makes a fuss.

Google aren't using our taxes to do it

As one in the industry...

1) they're not going to be able to monitor your actual communications in real time, just what/who you interact with.  So if you are busy pinging DMs on twitter to Abu Hamza they might raise an eyebrow.  Berating Vincent Pericard for being shit at football, not so likely.
2) to get to the "what you actually said" level of detail they'll still need a warrant just as they do now.
3) it's not just Google.  Microsoft and a dozen other massive media players know more about you than any government will ever know about you.  They have the cash and the ability to use that data to get more cash.  Governments don't have that driver.
4) it's not just the media outfits.  Every company of any size that you've ever bought something from, got an insurance quote from etc etc know everything down to your inside leg measurement. Well... nearly...

That said, they really do want to be a bit more open about what exactly it means to your average joe.  So explain the process as it would apply to you and me.  Rather than just banging on about catching terrorists - we *know* they want to catch bloody terrorists - explain the new law to the people who pay their wages, explain what they can and can't do in real terms that mean something, relate it to twatter, facebook, the TEF...

Given the thread title, I thought you were more concerned about the spying than the wasting of your tax money.

So Google are searching through my emails and keeping track of which web sites I visit (as in me personally not some browser somewhere in Swindon)? What bastards.

The safeguards that this information can only be used by the intelligence services for reasons of counter terrorism need to be water tight.

My concern isn't that they'll see anything of interest because they won't, but that the information will eventually be given third parties - perspective employers, for direct marketing, police,  etc.

Far-fetched and ridiculous, maybe, but having seen the national identity card fiasco I'm not 100% convinced it is.

But I don't care why.  Even if there was a cast iron rationale being provided (and there isn't), I'd still have grave reservations about this.

It's initiatives like this that change relationship between the individual and the state.  Sounds waffly, but I think it's an important point.  If you look the other way when initiatives like this go through, you can't complain when years down the line you realise you are effectively owned by the state...which is basically a collection of other blokes and women who are appointed by politicians who seek re-election every so often.  All a bit tenuous.  If these blokes/women want to have a look at my private correspondence, I'll want a look at theirs.  Fair's fair.

Bit of both Sam

Bearing in mind the shit state of the economy, should they really be wasting money on daft schemes likes this

@calum, thanks for the info

Saves me going to london and telling david cameron that I think he's a cunt.  I can just do it here.  And michael gove.  He's a cunt too.  The list could get a bit long though.

They are given a mandate to govern by the people, the people can take that mandate away. 

Ive signed it.

Wasn't there another one, with an NHS computer system?

1000 terrorists lives no doubt!

What makes you think having nothing to hide makes you immune from the government abusing its power?

I thought there was already a key word thing that detected words like bomb.

Maybe that was just on Spooks

apart from not living in the UK, probably nothing.

I think they are doing all this already. They just want to be able to put it to the courts.

Its totally out of order though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwHRrb5G-QI

I don't believe what I read in the paper this morning. Its the truth. There's no smoke without fire. Their reporting never fails. I just can't wait 'til it drops through the box in the morning. Its my treat for the day with my wife. She's still yawning as we read every page. Its the truth no distortion never tales. Stuck in Daily Mail Land, but you don't understand!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7g2d9mOPuw

Do prisoners still get their mail read? I am not a number!!!!  :fear:

I suppose it means we can blame the government when things go horribly wrong.  Terror attacks not stopped etc etc (god forbid they happen)

I used to work for the British government here a few years ago and we were warned that the offices were more than likely bugged.  In fact a few people I know claim that our phones, emails and the like are being monitored and I don't care.  I do the same things that anyone else would do, I have no intention of murdering or molesting anyone and if someone is really interested in what I look at or download from the internet then good luck to them. 

The Yanks are at it as well, but globally

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_cispa/?cl=1705092149&v=13515

Agree completly BUT,i think its the scenario when things go wrong,you know like the complete balls up with the Brazilian shot in cold blood for no reason in London the is the worry.
With the Met being done for rife racism amongst other things and they work closely with our terror police there is reason to be a little bit curious of how good a job they will do.

Of course our secret services and such do a lot of good work we know nothing about and i suppose its a case of us all having to accept that fuck ups will happen in the quest to keep the majority safe.

Registered with that one as well, cheers.

I imagine it'd be chilling to know the ways in which they protect us. There's real live Harry Pearces and James Bonds out there saving the country/planet. Granted it won't happen every week as in spooks though

Haha my thoughts exactly.

How can the Liberal Democrats even begin to call themselves Liberal if they put this through? Is it the job of every elected party to forget everything they stood for once they get into office?

Didnt Obama pledge to close Guantanamo? Fraud.

I dont like George Galloway one bit. But if he could teach our regular politicians that we are sick of inaction and pre election lies, then that could only be a good thing.

This

Read 1984 

Actually the Pox forum is a lot more fun

don't sign it - you'll end up padlocked in a sports bag in Whitehall