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UK: DATA SURVEILLANCE: UK intelligence forced to reveal secret policy for mass surveillance of residents’ Facebook and Google use

17 June 2014

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"Britain’s top counter-terrorism official has been forced to reveal a secret Government policy justifying the mass surveillance of every Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Google user in the UK. This disturbing policy was made public due to a legal challenge brought by Privacy International, Liberty, Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union, Pakistani organisation Bytes for All, and five other national civil liberties organisations. The statement, from Charles Farr, the Director General of the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, claims that the indiscriminate interception of UK residents’ Facebook and Google communications would be permitted under law because they are defined as ‘external communications’."

See the story: UK intelligence forced to reveal secret policy for mass surveillance of residents’ Facebook and Google use (Privacy International, link)

And see: Social media mass surveillance is permitted by law, says top UK official (Guardian, link) Charles Farr witness statement (pdf)

For background: Statewatch analysis: GCHQ is authorised to “spy on the world” but the UK Interception of Communications Commissioner says this is OK as it is “lawful” (pdf)

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