All your data belong to us

[kinmel]

Nu Labour have thought of a new computer database to waste millions on

BBC News

[Lance]

Let's hope the bill never gets through

[JB]

Nu Labour have thought of a new computer database to waste millions on

The irony of this is that anybody who really has anything to hide will use some form of encrypted email which at best will take a very long time and massive resources to 'crack', if at all.

JB.

[Malc]

This is 'big brother's watching you' taken to the extreme

[Rik]

Can you imagine the size of the database? The processing power it will require. I'm not in the least bit worried about it - with the Govt's record on IT, it will never work, and will take the next 50 years to agree a spec.

[Malc]

As long as when they loose the files they don't fall into the wrong hands.

[Rik]

I'm not sure, in this instance, that too many people would want them, Malc. Extracting useful data would be simply too time consuming.

[Noreen]

As I understand it, the actual content of the communication won't be recorded.

[Rik]

So just a record of call time and number called? That should interest the telephone marketers.

[Malc]

And anyone who's spying on the wives / husbands / lover 

[Rik]

Private detectives could have a field day.

[john]

Sounds like its time to start investing in Disk Drive companies as they're going to need a lot of disk space to hold even just the details. It sounds a bit extreme and to be honest with the Governments track record of IT projects I can't see it ever working effectively and I doubt whether they'd be interested in my phone calls or e-mails anyway.

Now if they were going to extend it to include the Idnetters Forum 

[Rik]

We'd drive them mad looking for secret codes in our posts, John.

[john]

We'd drive them mad looking for secret codes in our posts, John.

Shsssh, don't let them even think it Rik, however I'm still not worried as the secret codes in my posts are so secret even I don't know they're there 

[Gary]

Wonder how that will effect adsl bandwidth across the nation as it logs all our calls and downloads them? We all know they tap as and when they want but exactly how long would these records be kept? I guess Phorm and that other nasty have computers covered so this just cleans up the few loose ends 

[Rik]

Shsssh, don't let them even think it Rik, however I'm still not worried as the secret codes in my posts are so secret even I don't know they're there 

Ah, but we do...

[john]

Ah, but we do...

[merlin]

wonder if it will be as good as that medical marvel, that's going to centralise all medical records.

at the moment its 4 years behind schedule and way over budget, reports say it has a few minor blips ??

or the other one that will control the sky's over uk, that one seems to have dropped off the end of the earth, after being countless years behind and again way over budget

surely someone must be responsible , heads should roll big time .

[Rik]

Heads should roll, Bob, but they never seem to. The UK's record on IT is pitiful. 

[Dangerjunkie]

Assuming this thing works (a big "if", I know) this represents a serious extension of powers. With the laws currently being enacted IDNet will have to keep our data for a year, after which they are free to destroy it (and probably will since it's not making them money any more and keeping it costs money.)

The Government have enough empty facilities that they could store this stuff for decades potentially. It probably wouldn't be online for them but if they know which warehouse the tape of interest is in then they stand a chance of being able to find it (the warehouse... possibly the tape too if they're really in luck.)

With the current regime if any of us was to be suspected of involvement in a serious crime our records could be pulled from IDNet and our phone provider to investigate a specific crime. Records would be generated that these searches had happened and providers would quickly realise if the requests were being used as a scatter gun due to the numbers of them.

If the data was in the Government's hands they would be free to use it to conduct fishing expeditions and pattern-match it against us all (as I believe is already done by BT if you happen to have called or got a call from "someone of interest".)  There would be no realistic control against abuse. It could be used against political opponents almost without fear of detection. I'm not saying this is being introduced with the intent of it being abused but there is no way to speak for what a future Government might do with it.

I'm all for us being able to sleep sound in our beds but this is a step to far for me...

Cheers,
Paul.

[Rik]

Paranoia meets politics, Paul.

[Baz]

wouldnt surprise me if its already been done

here

[Rik]

Not to mention all the satellites, Baz.

[Baz]

frightening.......

[Rik]

Have you looked at this one:

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=8270.msg182954#msg182954