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News in breif; "TRIAL BY ORDEAL" PLANNED FOR GOVERNMENT OVER HOME OFFICE SNOOPING PLANS

01 May 2003

Another of the infamous "Scrambling for Safety" public meetings has been organised for May 14 to assess government plans to retain and snoop on the communications and Internet activity of everyone in the UK.

The Home Office caused controversy last summer when it attempted to allow a long list of public authorities to
access records of individuals' telephone and Internet usage. This "communications data" -- phone numbers and
e-mail addresses contacted, web sites visited, locations of mobile phones, etc. - would have been available
without any judicial oversight, under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

There has also been ongoing argument about government powers to force telephone companies and Internet
Service Providers to keep copies of such communications data. Under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security
Act 2001 the Home Secretary may require companies to store this data for long periods to allow later access by
intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

The Home Office is now consulting over both issues before taking further action. "Scrambling for Safety 6" will
bring together representatives from government, industry and human rights organisations to discuss the issues they
raise with members of the public. Since 1997 the Scrambling for Safety meetings have played a pivotal role in the
assessment of government security and privacy policy.

This is the only such meeting during the consultation period, and is free to attend. It is being organised by Privacy
International and the Foundation for Information Policy Research, and is being hosted by the Department of
Information Systems of the London School of Economics.

Simon Davies, Director of Privacy International, commented: "The government believes it has an automatic right to
snoop on a wide spectrum of very sensitive communications information. The public will doubtless have a different
view. The current consultations raise important questions about the right to privacy and the measures that must be
taken to protect the individual. The proposals will face a stormy reception at the meeting".

Simon Davies of Privacy International can be reached for comment on 07958 466 552.

Background
----------

The Home Office consultation documents are at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crimpol/crimreduc/regulation/part1/consult.html (access)
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/comsdatacontacts.html (retention)

FIPR's "Surveillance and security" pages
Privacy International's wiretap pageste.mobi/b.js>

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