New Bill in Britain

The British government has introduced a draft bill to introduce total digital surveillance. Details about every email, phone call or text message in the U.K. (sic) would be logged — and they say that those  worried about the program are all either criminals or conspiracy theorists.

If (or when) this Bill becomes law, providers would collect IP addresses, the details of customers' electronic hardware, and subscriber information including names, addresses, and payment information.

Physical communications would also be monitored: Address details written on envelopes would be copied and parcel tracking information would be logged as well.

The state would be able to keep all the data up to a year, or longer if it was the subject of legal proceedings.

The monitoring will be done without the need for the police or agencies to apply for a warrant. No one will know the extent of the monitoring, its effects, nor the conclusions that the authorities may draw from the data.

Search and Surveillance Bill Passed

The Search and Surveillance Bill was passed on 22nd March. Now it just needs rubber stamping before it becomes law.

When this Bill becomes law, the range of opportunities for legal surveillance available to police and various State agencies increases dramatically. That also means, the 'illegal' activities that those same forces do, shift laterally and also widen.

When this is law, there will be a lot more warrant-less searches and surveillance and warrant-less use of spies, or HIDs - Human Intervention Devices. Road blocks like those seen on 15th October in Ruatoki could become the norm, and increasing use of detention on mere belief that a 'crime' may be committed.

The right to silence and the right not to self-incriminate are also attacked under this law.

March 22nd was not a good day in history. Let's hope that somehow this Bill is never rubber-stamped.

S&S Bill May Be Decided Tuesday 20th March

The Search and Surveillance Bill most probably comes out of Committee on Tuesday 20th March. It will then be voted on and could be law by April 18th.

It will be a sad day.