Technology News

**joder** · 05-20-2008, 02:40 PM

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle3965033.ece

A massive government database holding details of every phone call, e-mail and time spent on the internet by the public is being planned as part of the fight against crime and terrorism. Internet service providers (ISPs) and telecoms companies would hand over the records to the Home Office under plans put forward by officials.

**Learning Newbie** · 05-21-2008, 05:23 PM

Crime and terrorism? It's always only been terrorism. Remember all those quotes about "We aren't listening to you talk to your grandmother in France unless you're a terrorist"?

**VirtuosiMedia** · 05-21-2008, 06:06 PM

I feel like George Orwell just walked over my grave.

**joder** · 05-21-2008, 06:58 PM

You know it starts out crime and terrorism and leads to those who don't agree with whoever is in charge.

**Learning Newbie** · 05-21-2008, 08:10 PM

That's the thing. Nobody who doesn't owe the Saudi Royal Family huge favors, is going to argue against protecting innocent people from terrorists. And it's exceptionally rare to find anyone who would say child molesters should be anywhere but in a cage. And crack dealers. And actors in bad movies.

The only real argument against most of these classes of people being spied on, is two fold. First, to spy on the bad people, you have to spy on the good people, and narrow your list down. Second, it's going to reach the point where good people can't protect their privacy from idiots on the internet by, say, encrypting their email before sending it.

**chrishirst** · 05-27-2008, 05:15 AM

The last time this was put forward a few years ago, with less users on-line. AOL pointed out to the "experts" that their data alone from their proxy logs and mail server logs would require around 3/4 of a terabyte of storage per day. And that was without storing the mail message content.

**hollywood27** · 03-04-2010, 12:46 AM

Yeah, the data would be huge, the entire concept is ludicrous, since last time I checked, the MAJORITY of citizens are not criminals, which means the VAST majority of data would be completely irrelevant. Not to mention the fact that this creeps me out to no end!!!