UK.gov to tap BT as data harvester

[somanyholes]

   http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/16/eu_data_retention_transposition/

[David]

This is potentially very worrying what is all this date wanted for apart from abusing any rights we may have left 

[Rik]

We only need the thought police for a full set, So.  

[David]

They will think of a way no doubt....this is bordering on G O on a giant scale

[Rik]

It is, and in many ways it frightens me. It's being done without accountability to Parliament, an increasingly used technique by this Govt.

[David]

used technique by this Govt.

Im glad I wont be around in 20 years but if nothng is done god knows what will happen in the future 

[Rik]

Though we can have our suspicions.

[David]

I think the writing may already be on disc somewhere 

[Rik]

When you think about all we've had to say regarding politicians, I think it's only a matter of time before there's a knock on the door. It's inevitable, really, that governments will be uncomfortable with media they can't control, so a free internet is always going to be a target for them.

[David]

For once Im pleased to say that there is always someone who will get around this   

[Rik]

Indeed, time to reach for PGP.

[David]

That looks good

[greenfedora]

To be honest, all this Orwellian stuff is the single most important political issue to me at the moment. It totally flies in the face of the so-called 'free country', which I think is one of the most prized constitutional elements of Western democracies.

It's ironic that we have spent so much time and energy fighting despotic regimes to avoid the close monitoring, vetting and control they inflict on their populace, and then we 'voluntarily' introduce it into our own society.

[Rik]

I agree with you completely, Gordon. We are heading into dictatorship via the back door.

[David]

Were will it lead though there seems to be an assumption that everyone will roll over and accept this,Im not too sure on this point

[Rik]

Most people aren't even aware it's going on, David, and those of us who are are probably not best placed to fight it.

[David]

I thought of this the internet is a double edged sword and a defence we would naver had access to but I think the fight would be fairer on this one 

[Rik]

It is a place where we can come together to express ourselves in a way that just didn't exist a generation ago, David, but that also works against us as we are geographically spread and small in number.

[David]

Thats how many uprisings began surely

[Rik]

True, but they needed small, tight knit, communities to get their momentum. Tight knit as we are, we could probably only muster an online campaign, and we know what notice the Govt takes of them.

[David]

I dont know about that,the little I have seen of Facebook,enough of them witll gather in droves for somethings...its wider than we may envisage I think there would be big problems for the Gvt to overcome when the masses are fully aware of the possibilities

[Rik]

The masses never will be, sadly, David. By the time they become aware, it will already be too late.

[David]

Put it in the Sun and Star with another tag to it,like "you are all about to be found out" that might do......The peasants are revolting,can be heard around the halls of Westminster

[Rik]

On page 3, presumably.

[David]

If thats what it takes,I doubt Newsnight will reach them