A senior Cabinet minister has launched a strong attack on public bodies – including the BBC and the Royal Mail –that have powers to carry out secret surveillance on members of the public but are refusing to say how they're using them.
Under controversial legislation, a range of public bodies have the authority to demand that phone companies hand over records of calls, secretly follow people without their knowledge and record their movements.
But despite an attempt by ministers to clamp down on misuse of the powers, seven well-known organisations refused to provide details of their activities under the controversial Regulation of Investigative Powers Act (Ripa), dubbed the "snoopers charter".
Their silence has been highlighted in a report by the campaign group Big Brother Watch and also criticised by the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who hinted that the Government could extend regulations, brought in for local authorities using Ripa powers, which would require them to get permission from a magistrate before being allowed to conduct surveillance. Full story...
Related posts:
Under controversial legislation, a range of public bodies have the authority to demand that phone companies hand over records of calls, secretly follow people without their knowledge and record their movements.
But despite an attempt by ministers to clamp down on misuse of the powers, seven well-known organisations refused to provide details of their activities under the controversial Regulation of Investigative Powers Act (Ripa), dubbed the "snoopers charter".
Their silence has been highlighted in a report by the campaign group Big Brother Watch and also criticised by the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who hinted that the Government could extend regulations, brought in for local authorities using Ripa powers, which would require them to get permission from a magistrate before being allowed to conduct surveillance. Full story...
Related posts:
- The new totalitarianism of surveillance technology...
- TrapWired to Spy: 'Private corps do US govt's dirty work'
- Golden Shield, China's all-seeing eye. ( Must read)
- Stratfor emails reveal secret, widespread TrapWire surveillance system in the US...
- 'After 9/11 NSA had secret deal with White House'
- Why the absence of mass oppostion to the rising police state?
- The rise of the global police state...
- The cute website that could save your life and overthrow...
- Hang up the phone; Big Brother Australia is listening...
No comments:
Post a Comment