Irreverence

posted on 20 May 2008 08:24

In an example of nannying, security-mad big brother government knowing no limits the UK government is planning a central database to hold all citizens' phone call data, Internet e-mails, voice-over-internet calls, and Internet session times for at least twelve months.

The database is - what else - in response to a need to fight (meaning struggle in a panic-stricken mannner) against crime and terrorism. Telecommunications companies and Internet service providers would feed in data and the police and security services could access it when permitted by court-approved warrants. The super-database is being planned by Home Office officials.

The UK government is already implementing a National health service database, now several years behind schedule, and planning a hotly-contested Identity Card database.

The citizens' communications database would hold around 57 billion text messages - many saying things like "U R brill sexpot" and "Gord Brown sux" - and over 1 trillion e-mail messages plus millions of Internet session times. The number of landline and mobile telephone calls will be in the trillion plus area too.

The total number of records would go past 3 trillion quite rapidly.

Apparently Home Office officials have discussed the idea with telecommunications suppliers and ISPs in the UK. Their reactions can readily be imagined. The government's own assistant Information Commissioner, Jonathan Bamford, thinks the idea is almost risible, being unaware of any justification whatsoever for holding such vast amounts of nearly totally useless information.

Database and BI suppliers are thought to be ecstatic. 

After demonstrating its expertise and prowess in responsible database management by losing 25 million tax records on an unencrypted HMRC (the UK government taxation and customs duty department) CD last year plus sundry tens of thousands of other citizen ID theft data from vehicle licensing databases and a driver testing agency, the UK government inhabits its very own reality distortion field when it says access to the planned database would be secure

Officials say the UK government needs the database to better protect the public. Ministers have not yet been given a proposal although it may be ready for a Telecommunications Bill in November.

Increasingly the UK seems like a country occupied by an invading power - its own government and Civil Service - answerable to some unknown entity on the planet Zog.

^{[Chris Mellor.]}