Facebook And Co 'Face Big Brother Monitoring'Wednesday, March 25 10:44 amSky News Millions of Britons who use social networking websites such as Facebook could have details of everyone they correspond with monitored by the Government. Under the proposals, the Home Office is considering making the sites keep data about their users' movements. These details may then be saved on a "Big Brother" database. The Home Office said the idea was to tackle criminals and terrorists who might use the websites to communicate. But it stressed the Government was not seeking the power to examine the content of messages sent via the sites. However, civil liberties campaigners have called the proposals a "snooper's charter". Many people in Britain use social networking sites, like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo to keep in touch with their friends. The Government move follows plans to store information about every telephone call, email, and internet visit made by anyone in the UK on a central database. Details were disclosed by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker earlier this month at a Commons committee to examine draft EU directives. He said the Government was considering acting on social networking sites because they were not covered by the latest proposals from Brussels. "Social networking sites, such as MySpace or Bebo, are not covered by the directive," he said. "That is one reason why the Government are looking at what we should do about the intercept modernisation programme because there are certain aspects of communications which are not covered by the directive." He added the Government's intercept modernisation programme proposals may be extended to include "the retention of data on Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and all other similar sites". Mr Coaker acknowledged the plan would raise fresh concerns about the right to privacy. "I accept that this is an extremely difficult area. The interface between retaining data, private security and all such issues of privacy is extremely important," he said. A Home Office spokesman stressed the Government was not seeking the power to examine the content of messages sent via the sites. He said: "We have been clear that communications revolution has been rapid in this country and the way in which we collect communications data needs to change so that law enforcement agencies can maintain their ability to tackle terrorism and gather evidence."                                                                                                                                                                             

How long before we wake up one morning and wonder where the  our freedom has gone?   Another use of 'terrorism' as an excuse to slowly chip away at our civil liberty...                                                                                                                                                                             

Blimey, I hope they don't start monitoring some of the PM's on BM lol                                                                                                                                                                              

yea good luck to them with that, there's no way i'll ever give over access to any government - not even annonymised.   Just like I don't sell email addresses (Though I could make 18,500 quid instantly!)... it's a sure-fire way of loosing a lot of respect from everyone.   If the UK government ever want access to our DB, they've no chance.  It'll be well confusing (UK members, dutch business, american servers...!)                                                                                                                                                                             

Time to revert to my old white text signatures on forums then 

                                                                                                                                                                             

Using an encoder  is the answer They dont like it, cant crack it and its legal   Several American predisents have tried to ban it   Em                                                                                                                                                                              

They already can get your txt and email with or without your permission   And how long do you think it would take them to break a comercial code as they spent years and billions on code breaking Im sure they already monitor and save but cant use in court till they pass new laws                                                                                                                                                                             

Wasn't suggesting a "comercial product" Mick, there are several "freeware" encryptors out there which have been a real headache for FBI,CIA and MI5/6 But I'm assured by some "in the know" that Menwith Hill do regularly monitor texts,emails and most internet traffic for "terrorist" purposes.                                                                                                                                                                              

I am not a number .... I am a free man!                                                                                                                                                                             

So why have you got a number tagged onto your name?                                                                                                                                                                              

  very quick XK ,well Geoff ?

Menwith Hill is a communications intelligence centre for Echelon the monitoring of GSM traffic for the Northern Hemisphere allegedly. It's entertaining that while the place doesn't exist officially (RAF Menwith Hill does, the NSA station behind it doesn't) you can see nice pictures of it on Google maps.   Places like Menwith were one of the reasons that the law on trespass was changed, previously the owner or tenant of a property had to bring civil suit against a trespasser which is awkward if you trespass somewhere that dont exist.   There are currently no encryption systems commercial or freeware that the spooks can't crack given a reasonably sized sample, however even a basic 256 bit encryption algorithm with a secure key takes up an awful lot of very expensive computer time and there are lots and lots of emails to process.                                                                                                                                                                             

Nice one prof, thanks for the extra info.   As I remarked in my earlier post they (encryptors) do give em a "headache"   But, as you may agree?, if its encrypted they'll want to "have a look" cos they'll figure something is being "hidden".   It could tie up their systems no end !!                                                                                                                                                                               

Encrypted email gets bumped up the priority list for analysis, the more encrypted traffic there is the bigger the headache for the spooks.  The usual "innocent people have nothing to hide only terrorists/paedophiles" argument is fairly silly, intelligent terrorists no doubt use encryption, stupid ones who don't are not a major problem.  Sadly our country is becoming more and more restricted by people who insist on knowing everything about us in order to control us "for our own good".  It's bad enough in principle, in practice with the Governments well documented inability to manage IT projects and maintain data securely it is a recipe for disaster.   One of the offensive things about Menwith is that officially the British Government need a warrant to tap your phones, of course if a foreign agency taps your phone and passes the output on to our government that isn't illegal.                                                                                                                                                                             

So why have I got a number tagged onto my name?  Erm .......                                                                                                                                                                             

I am in complete agreement prof   George Orwell had it sussed, maybe got the timescale slightly wrong   (although we dont really know how long they've been at it !)   I'm not paranoid, just careful   Geoff, you must be working secretly for them  and monitoring us                                                                                                                                                                              

just a small spanner in the works, when you say innocent people have nothing to fear. history would not agree. and who trusts the USA. although i do agree that we need a system that keeps us reasonable free in this country. Its just all the other sh.t that comes with it, even commercialy we are spide on, what we buy and where.   yes Geoff do you have a no. after your name!                                                                                                                                                                             

emzed's already accusin people *nervously look's over shoulder* an just who is TC? is his anti spying post a cover? and is WB a genuuine biker 'babe'? and Matt ?is he the nxt Jame's Bond villian?[with julieJ as a more glammy Rosa klebb?] !!and just why is he learning to fly aye aye?? nest o viper's this place i tell's ye were doomed! doomed! 

 at julie as a 'glammy Rosa Klebb'.   I 'spect Matt isn't learning how to take off or land - just fly straight!   *avoids tall buildings*                                                                                                                                                                             

*tuts*

Biker babe indeed! It's blindingly obvious that I'm an International Woman of Mystery... although I understand that I might be mistaken for a terrorist, given my latest profile pic

As for Orwell, "1984" was supposed to be a WARNING, not a manual!

Sig for the spooks: kalashnikov, suicide bombing, G20, Obama/Osama - it's only 1 letter apart.