Government to order ISPs to gather and store personal data

Although the Government has ruled out the prospect of creating a super database full of personal details such as emails, phone call details, text messages and internet behaviour a new consultation paper released this week by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith revealed the topic hasn't been dismissed altogether.

Smith has confirmed she has plans to order communication companies such as internet service providers and mobile phone companies to collect private data, process and store the information for future use.

Originally, a proposal was put forward to form an Interception Modernisation Programme (Communications Data Bill) in order to aid police and other authorities investigate crime and terrorism. However, after the proposal was met with public outcry plans to develop the scheme were dropped.

Eager for this interception scheme not to fall flat, Jacqui Smith was heard to comment: “doing nothing...is also not an option”.

Explaining her decision to encroach upon telecoms providers, she explained:

“Used in the right way, and subject to important safeguards to protect individuals' right to privacy, communications data can play a critical role in keeping all of us safe.

“I am clear that to do nothing in the face of these developments – thus allowing the capability to use communications data to degrade – could lead to more crimes left unsolved and more cases where public authorities could not protect people from harm.

“My intention is to find a model which avoids the dangers of these two extreme positions, and which strikes the right balance between maximising public protection and minimising intrusion into individuals' private lives.”

Once again though, despite tweaking the original interception details, Ms Smith's ideas have been met with negative response. One quote, coming from Richard Clayton, a private expert at Cambridge University aired his views the new proposals were still a “super snooping scheme...and a shocking waste of money.”

Other authoritative figures such as the Internet Service Provider's Associate (ISPA) commented it was “committed to assisting law enforcement agencies in investigation of serious crimes and threats to national security”. However, it has confirmed it will ask for further details on the Home Secretary's plans when it meets up with her in May.