Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

UK launches massive, one-year program to archive every email

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • UK launches massive, one-year program to archive every email

    UK launches massive, one-year program to archive every email

    Mon Apr 6, 2009 4:51PM EDT

    In a move that even the most nonchalant of privacy advocates is crying foul over, the UK has put into effect a European Union directive which mandates the archival of information regarding virtually all internet traffic for the next 12 months. The program formally went into effect Monday.

    The data retention rules require the archival of all email traffic (the identities of the sender and receiver, but not the contents of the messages), records of VOIP telephone calls (traditional phone calls are already monitored), and information about every website visited by any computer user in the country. The rules are being pushed down "across the board to even the smallest company," as every ISP large or small will be required to collect and store the data. That data will then be accessible -- to fight "crime and terrorism," of course -- by "hundreds of public bodies" to investigate whatever crimes they see fit.

    Technically the new directive applies to all countries of the EU, but individual nations appear to be complying with the rules to various degrees. Privacy-obsessed Sweden is reportedly ignoring the rule completely, for example.

    The privacy implications of the rule are enormous, as everything UK citizens do online will now be under the watchful eye of EU's powerful Home Office. One privacy advocate, whose anger is clearly barely being held back, called it "the kind of technology that the Stasi would have dreamed of." Naturally, the government counters that this kind of information has already proven invaluable in tracking down criminals, including the killer of an 11-year-old boy a couple of years ago.

    Privacy concerns aside, another issue becomes one of how exactly to manage all this data. A report dating back to 2004 estimated that a single, large ISP in the UK would need up to 40 million gigabytes of storage capacity to store the traffic data from a year of user activity. Even in 2009, that kind of storage doesn't come cheap, nor does the challenge of managing it all come easy.
    Comments?

    Link here: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/136610
    Last edited by gunnut; 08 Apr 09,, 17:43.
    "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

  • #2
    At least Chinese totalitarianism comes with 8% annual GDP growth.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Inst View Post
      At least Chinese totalitarianism comes with 8% annual GDP growth.
      In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

      Leibniz

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Inst View Post
        At least Chinese totalitarianism comes with 8% annual GDP growth.
        Ouch!!!

        "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

        Comment


        • #5
          Okay, that was a stupid remark. But if they're going to invade privacy, why not try to couple it with a transparent society, meaning there's no information advantage by any organization or individual? Everything the government intercepts should be made available to civilians as part of a transparent society program.

          Comment


          • #6
            It is a directive for the EU, not just for the UK.

            This quote below is from the original link.

            .. the UK has put into effect a European Union directive which mandates the archival of information regarding virtually all internet traffic for the next 12 months.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Inst View Post
              At least Chinese totalitarianism comes with 8% annual GDP growth.
              Nice

              Im thinking WAB needs a 'top ten one liners' thread with that baby holding current first place.
              The best part of repentance is the sin

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by gunnut View Post
                Comments?
                George Orwell 1984 .

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by tankie View Post
                  George Orwell 1984 .
                  Nothing to hide, nothing to fear...... so I'm screwed
                  Nulli Secundus
                  People always talk of dying for their country, and never of making the other bastard die for his

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Shiny Capstar View Post
                    Nothing to hide, nothing to fear...... so I'm screwed
                    same here S\C but its all coming true ref 1984 Big Bro has a camera on every street corner and is now into your emails ,, i wouldnt be surprised if every new TV (digital )has an intergrated cam to spy in the home .

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by tankie View Post
                      same here S\C but its all coming true ref 1984 Big Bro has a camera on every street corner and is now into your emails ,, i wouldnt be surprised if every new TV (digital )has an intergrated cam to spy in the home .
                      It is a bit worrying how much they have on us, as they say 'everyone has a file'. All this stuff about going abroad that is going to come into effect as well, I don't see the need to detail my holiday plans to the Government, I like being able to get a ferry over to Europe and just go where I fancy.
                      Nulli Secundus
                      People always talk of dying for their country, and never of making the other bastard die for his

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Shiny Capstar View Post
                        It is a bit worrying how much they have on us, as they say 'everyone has a file'. All this stuff about going abroad that is going to come into effect as well, ,,I don't see the need to detail my holiday plans to the Government, I like being able to get a ferry over to Europe and just go where I fancy.
                        Thats right S\C ,swiped passports , out of the country , swiped when you land , its ok to keep tabs on the dodgy ones but WTF do they want to know the ins and outs of every citizens bizz .
                        If its for the collecting of fare indicators for price structuring , then a simple head count will suffice , but ooooooooooooooohhh no , they want to know exactly who is going , suspects or not .And what really pees me off is the UK govt wants to impose I/D cards on everyone ,(I STILL HAVE ONE FROM THE 50S WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER ,) when we are well catalouged anyway , driving licence (if you have one ) TV licence ,nat ins number , reg cell phones , passports, etc , and now email taps .Well i hope the bastards tap into WAB
                        Last edited by tankie; 08 Apr 09,, 16:00.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Inst View Post
                          Okay, that was a stupid remark. But if they're going to invade privacy, why not try to couple it with a transparent society, meaning there's no information advantage by any organization or individual? Everything the government intercepts should be made available to civilians as part of a transparent society program.
                          It's not stupid at all. We all thought (from what I can gather) it's brilliantly sharp, to the point, and criticizes 2 governments at the same time.

                          Crap, I forgot to post the link to that article. Hopefully I can still find it.
                          "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            If you don't rebel against that government, you deserve it.

                            Hah!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I don't think the issue is simple enough that you can compress it to the slogan: any surrendering of political freedoms is bad. For example, wiretapping of private phones were instrumental in incarcerating American mobsters. Would it be worthwhile to have these folks on the streets, causing anarchy in the name of profit?

                              What is particularly disturbing about this case is that the courts are completely uninvolved. At least I'd like someone to present a case to a judge before they go over my private information.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X