Government plans to expand its powers to monitor the emails, texts and website visits of every person in the UK have been put on hold following a backlash from MPs and civil liberties groups.
According to weekend reports, online firms were to be instructed to install hardware enabling GCHQ – the Government agency – to examine “on demand” any phone call made, text message and email sent, and website accessed. But Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has since revealed it will be the subject of a year-long consultation.
And one industry insider said: “Is it possible to monitor every conversation? Possibly. Although it would be far too expensive, especially in these austere times. Of course, there’s software which can pick up key words and this is probably the way ahead. It is far more likely that the Government just wants the power to monitor all communications so it can target specific groups.”
The Labour Government abandoned a similar plan in 2006 following fierce opposition from the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats as well as civil liberties groups.
The Home Office had argued that the measure was “vital” to combat terrorism and organised crime and stressed a warrant would be needed in order to access the content of the communications they were monitoring.
“It is not focusing on terrorists or on criminals. It is absolutely everybody,” said Conservative former shadow home secretary David Davis. “Historically, governments have been kept out of our private lives. Our freedom and privacy has been protected by using the courts by saying ‘If you want to intercept, if you want to look at something, fine, if it is a terrorist or a criminal go and ask a magistrate and you’ll get your approval’.
“You shouldn’t go beyond that in a decent, civilised society but that is what is being proposed.”
Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti warned that it would undermine the coalition’s commitment to human rights if it went ahead with the plan.
“There is an element of whoever you vote for the empire strikes back,” she told Sky News. “This is more ambitious than anything that has been done before. The coalition bound itself together in the language of civil liberties. Do they still mean it?”
Meanwhile, an ICO spokesman said: “The Information Commissioner’s role in this Home Office project, both under this Government and the last, has been to press for the necessary limitations and safeguards to mitigate the impact on citizens’ privacy.
“We will continue to seek assurances, including the implementation of the results of a thorough Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA). Ultimately, the decision as to whether to proceed with the project is one which has to be taken by Parliament.”
