I wasn't trying to score points, and I agree with you about the authoritarian part and the previous Labour government.
I may be wrong, but which government is is that has actually gone ahead and implemented it?

I certainly believe that Labour should have opposed it more, but as I say, you can't seriously want to blame Labour for laws passed by the Tories.

AHH so it seems it WAS Labours fault, and nothing to do with the Tories, glad we cleared that up,

An alternative view is Dragnet Fishing - this has the unavoidable result of catching not only what you are after but also a lot of other fish, often killing them in the process.

Are you opposed to phone companies retaining data the equivalent to an itemized bill, when calls were made to what number and how long the calls were. On the basis that if the authorities catch a terrorist they can see who the terrorist has been in communication with. Which may result in them checking innocent people as well as potentially catching other terrorists.

Ah yes, that word "potentially" is key here.

Let's also examine the terrorism angle - yes, it's a problem, nobody is denying this. But so is being killed in a car crash.

However, there are a number of things more likely to kill you than a terrorism attack (a car crash for example) yet I don't see anyone in government calling for a ban on cars, do you?

Terrorism is a convenient crowbar that is being used by various parties to put in place certain measures that benefit them and appeal to their controlling natures.

Okay, so let's say you have "nothing to hide" and that you trust the current government and their security services (do you?). What about the next government that comes along? And the one after that? What if there's a government in charge that you loathe and don't trust one inch? What then? You have no idea whatsoever who you'll be handing this snooping power to in the future, and I can assure you that their interest will go a lot further than where you buy your underwear..

What if people's values change and suddenly the government of the time decides it hates gays, jews, black people, Christians, etc? Using the snooped data from everyone they have a very real power to persecute said parties.

If your involved in a car crash and dial 999 but are unable to give your location this bill enables the ambulance service to request the communications data necessary to locate you, so they can send an ambulance to you.

It's useful not just against terrorists or pedophiles but against all manner of criminals. From tracking supply chains and linking suspects involved in meat not fit for human consumption being in the human consumption supply chain, to complex fraud stealing money from the NHS,

Look up "Operational case for the use of communications data by public authorities" gov UK. For a explanation with examples of why each of the different public bodies listed in the bill need the ability when necessary, proportionate and justified to request some communications data to fulfil a specific statutory duty they have, most involve criminal investigations they are responsible for.

Yes, but because they are the Libdems, the Electorate will not pay attention to whatever they say nowadays.

From my perspective, I'm just gonna wait till the obvious events occur when this gets out of control.

So really what you feel is that the more the state has the more they can save you? We could all have door locks that allow police to walk in and inspect our house for contraband at their leisure and i'd assume you wouldn't have any qualms with you granny waking up at 3am with a dozen cops turning over her house?

The mobile phone companies would of kept the data for years anyway just for accounting reasons (the taxman likes about 7 years of records) so it would be available anyway...just it needed a warrant and thats slow and messy so all we've done is slapped some pig fat on the process.

Theres also a thing where 'secondary' data should be retained where practical (aka the text/email/conversation) from my quick skimming through the legislation.

Or looking at it another way, it will only take one large terrorist attack to prove that the entire Snooper's Charter is ineffective.

Well if you missed it already then just looking for how and why they did it will certainly create a few new job openings in certain places and the fact that there will be a cop at every street corner asking for papers and searching your bags....which may be their ultimate agenda.

Given that after the final reading 449 MPs voted in favour of it, the SNP and Lib Dems voted against it and there are barely 300 Tory MPs, who do you think made up the difference, hmm?


They're either with them or against them and they showed that in this case they're with them. And as such are beneath contempt.

Snoopers law creates security nightmare - given Royal Assent today

...and just look at which bodies will now have the power to access your internet connection records as set out in Schedule 4 of that pernicious Act:

Metropolitan police force

City of London police force

Police forces maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996

Police Service of Scotland

Police Service of Northern Ireland

British Transport Police

Ministry of Defence Police

Royal Navy Police

Royal Military Police

Royal Air Force Police

Security Service

Secret Intelligence Service

GCHQ

Ministry of Defence

Department of Health

Home Office

Ministry of Justice

National Crime Agency

HM Revenue & Customs

Department for Transport

Department for Work and Pensions

NHS trusts and foundation trusts in England that provide ambulance services

Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service

Competition and Markets Authority

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Department for Communities in Northern Ireland

Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland

Department of Justice in Northern Ireland

Financial Conduct Authority

Fire and rescue authorities under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004

Food Standards Agency

Food Standards Scotland

Gambling Commission

Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority

Health and Safety Executive

Independent Police Complaints Commissioner

Information Commissioner

NHS Business Services Authority

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board

Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Regional Business Services Organisation

Office of Communications

Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland

Police Investigations and Review Commissioner

Scottish Ambulance Service Board

Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission

Serious Fraud Office

Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust

^ I can understand the police and intelligence services being allowed on grounds of national security only but none of those other bodies should be permitted access to anyone's surfing records for any reason.

While this codifies some of the underhand stuff that's gone on before, it now also makes it perfectly lawful. Furthermore, there are insufficient safeguards (no anti-blackmail clauses and penalties for misusing anyone's surfing history) plus who's supposed to oversee the use of this legislation? (my own view is that there should be parliamentary oversight such as the Intelligence and Security Committee rather than the government itself).

It is all rather scary, overbearing and Orwellian.

It had to become law and as such was rushed through with very little oversight. Those MP's suddenly have a rather nice window of being able to do anything they want online and they're now covered legally, fancy watching some kiddie filth then if you're a MP then you're safe now.

In view of the unnecessarily large number of government departments which can now lawfully spy on British citizens (highlighted earlier on in this thread), I think it is worth posting a link to Jack Schofield's article below:

How can I protect myself from government snoopers? Now that the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 - or snooper’s charter – has become law, Charles wants to protect his privacy. The UK has just passed the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, at the third attempt, and it will become law by the end of the year.

...... or helps them when they figure out how to steal the information and use it.

I don't have an issue with the Metropolitan Police or security services having these powers (so long as there is sufficient parliamentary oversight of these matters) but there is zero need for the effing Food Standards Agency or NHS, etc. to have access to any of this data. That aspect is well out of order.

The UK = Surveillance Nation.

One mention of underwear and it brings out the fantasists, a government of which you imply wouldn't give a cuss about the law be there a snooper charter or no snooper charter, they would ride roughshod over your privacy and lock up or shoot those who disagree.

Turnabout is fair play after all how many times do Labour supporters blame the Tories because they did not oppose what Labour did.

Well....some might say your obsession with long lists is unhealthy and needs further investigation.

I'd like to see any of those snoopers try and get past Tails and Qubes!

Link: http://www.tecmint.com/best-security...tions-of-2016/

(There are no specially made security service backdoors in Linux or macOS/OS X unlike Windows)

Why only the Metropolitan Police who are responsible for policing in the Greater London area?

Why not the

Food Standards Agency. National Food Crime Unit is responsible for criminal investigations involving serious or complex food crime within food supply networks. It was created as the result of recommendations of the Elliot Review into the Integrity and Assurance of Food Supply Networks, after the horse meat scandal.

NHS. NHS Protect is responsible for criminal investigations involving serious, organised and/or complex financial irregularities and losses, fraud, bribery or corruption in the NHS.

It does seem that backdooring of encryption and communications channels is now mandatory (pretty much).

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/11...act_backdoors/

VPN's aint going to be the answer as they'll just make the ISP's turn off all the security protocols and it also could make internet banking etc possibly unsafe if your ISP has to turn everything into clear text.

This should be getting everyone upset a backdoor in encryption means encryption is worthless. A backdoor can be found and exploited by anyone. There's no point in creating security then putting big holes in it

Of course Labour will repeal it when they get into power, won't they?
Neither will happen of course.