The Investigatory Powers Bill being published will require communications firms to store their customers' records of phone and internet use for 12 months. Prime Minister David Cameron believes that the measures in this Bill are critical to truly enabling the government to ensure pubic safety.
The aim of the changes were mainly to bring the 15-year-old legislation governing communications up-to-speed in the light of technological advancements and of bringing cohesion to the legislation. Purportedly, the new measures will strengthen the management of surveillance. These will also provide better transparency over the activities of intelligence services.
A source iterates, "Communications data is an essential tool for the full range of law enforcement, including serious offences investigated by local authorities like rogue traders and benefit fraud."
"Sometimes communications data is the only way to identify offenders, particularly where offences are committed online. it is important people understand that communications data is only ever used in a necessary, proportionate and accountable way."
While numerous are wary of this Bill's provisions, assurances are making the rounds regarding safeguard-strengthening against abuse of power and the proper governing of records and data access by local authorities. A previous request from the police to allow full access to web-browsing habits and to ban the encryption of messages have supposedly been removed. Much more awaited by the public is the announcement that, on the matter of surveillance warrants requiring authorisation, these will be security-cleared by senior judges before implementation.
Previous proposals for the Bill met with much resistance. Given the concessions included in the new draft, Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty believes that the initial proposals were intentionally "outrageous" to make the changes seem more acceptable while detracting focus from the intent of blanket collection of private data.
According to Home Office Secretary Theresa May, 'If there are more intrusive requirements, then of course, warrants are required for those.'
'What I am clear about is that there will be in this Bill strong oversight and authorisation arrangements.
'...it sets a modern legal framework but, crucially, it has very strong oversight arrangements within it.
'It will be clear and more comprehensive and comprehensible than the previous legislation has been.'
