Why we need to stop the data retention proposals

I’ve just had this article posted on the Index on Censorship site

..we need to stand up against the plans because even if the current proposals can be justified as a proportionate measure –– and remember that only details of sender and receiver are being stored, not the content of the messages themselves –– mission creep is inevitable.
Powers granted under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act which we were told were needed to investigate serious crime and catch terrorists have been used to determine whether parents are really living in the catchment area of a popular school, something that is not actually illegal under the act as passed.

Read the whole piece, and it’s worth looking at Mike Butcher’s rant too.

My del.icio.us bookmarks for June 25th through June 28th

Here’s what I tagged on del.icio.us between June 25th and June 28th:

Being watched

[As ever, you can read this online on the BBC News website]

The chances are that I’ll be getting a letter from my internet service provider in the next few weeks telling me that they’ve been watching my network activity closely and think I’ve been breaking the law.

Virgin Media, who used to be called ntl before they acquired Virgin Mobile and turned themselves into a ‘four-play’ media company, has announced that it is working with record industry lobby group the British Phonographic Industry to write to customers whose network connection seems to have been used to download unlicensed content.

Continue reading “Being watched”