Big Brother database

[dgriffin]

Call for safeguards over Big Brother database

Belfast.
Saturday, 10 January 2009


Plans for a Big Brother database holding records of every citizen's emails, internet visits and mobile phonecalls must include proper safeguards to protect the public from abuses of privacy, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service has warned.

Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, speaking publicly for the first time since taking up his post in November, said the Government, police and security agencies should only be allowed to collect and use that data where there was a clear "legitimate purpose" that justified the invasion of an individual's privacy.

Mr Starmer said: "By its very nature criminal investigation touches on privacy. I think the right balance for any investigation or prosecution has got to have a legitimate purpose. Investigation of crime is a legitimate purpose." But Mr Starmer stressed, there must also be "effective safeguards" to act as a break on the state's invasion of the public's privacy.

Changes to EU law mean that phone companies and internet service providers must store communications data for 12 months, but the Government wants to divert that information to a government-controlled database. Under existing law, police and security agencies can request the information from companies.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/call-for-safeguards-over-big-brother-database-14135997.html

Why is it that privacy rights are so quickly eroding in Europe (if I may include the auld sod in that geography.) Bad enough here in the US, but why is Europe so far ahead of us in the rush to subjugation of the masses?

[frankcor]

Jan 11, 2009 10:39:27 GMT -5 @dgriffin said:

Why is it that privacy rights are so quickly eroding in Europe (if I may include the auld sod in that geography.) Bad enough here in the US, but why is Europe so far ahead of us in the rush to subjugation of the masses?

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.-- Ben Franklin

Europe is about 20 years ahead of the US.

[rrogers40]

Whelp here is my thinking - in the event that stuff like this gets passed you will no longer find me on the Internet.

Then again I suspect that people in America would complain more than those in Europe about that sort of thing.

[corner]

we got guns

[Clipper]

Yep, and we are going to keep them too! My dad bought my first one, and taught me to hunt and care for my gun. The military taught me to clean, maintain, and accurately use my guns, and also taught me to never let them out of my sight and never to allow anyone to take them away from me. It would be terribly ironic if the same government that trained me in the use and care of weapons were to be the one to try to take away my right to possess them. I sincerely hope that the proud people of this country would never allow that to come about.

[dgriffin]

"Europe is about 20 years ahead of the US."

Thank God. I'll be dead by then.

"in the event that stuff like this gets passed you will no longer find me on the Internet".

I believe it's here, just not very well publicized.

"... to take away my right to possess (guns.) I sincerely hope that the proud people of this country would never allow that to come about. "

Unfortunately, I think they will, when they're scared enough. Our schools are preparing our children, as the teachers were prepared by our liberal colleges (many tax supported.) No guns. No violence. No disrespect. No resistance.

[Ralph]

"Unfortunately, I think they will, when they're scared enough. Our schools are preparing our children, as the teachers were prepared by our liberal colleges (many tax supported.) No guns. No violence. No disrespect. No resistance."

No freedom.......no hope.

Or perhaps rebellion. That's been done before quite successfully up till now.