Monday 12 January 2015

Counter terrorism and Security Bill - Joint Committee on Human Rights

Updated 13th January

The Joint Committee on Human Rights has issued its report on the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill and has called for better safeguards in a number of areas.  The Committee's Conclusions and Recommendations are HERE.



There are indications that if a Conservative government is
elected it will seek greater powers relating to electronic communications - The Guardian 12th January - What new snooping powers do PM and MI5 want and what are the concerns? and Telegraph 9th January - Osborne hints at bringing back Snooper's Charter after Paris attack.  The Communications Data Bill, known as the Snooper's Charter, would have allowed security services to access records of every website people visit and social media communication people send.  The Bill was abandoned due to political disagreement within the coalition government.  This article in The Independent (12th January) puts forward seven reasons why a snoopers charter would be a travesty.

See also The Guardian 12th January where Joshua Rozenberg looks at Police plans for a new Code of Ethics and, on the question of encryption, see Wikpedia Crypto Wars.


Earlier posts:

14th June 2012 - Draft Communications Data Bill introduced 

14th July 2014 - Data Retention and Investigatory Powers

Code of Practice on Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data:

If you care about investigative journalism and the public sector sources ("whistleblowers") who make much of it possible please take a moment to respond to the consultation on the RIPA code of practice which closes on 20 January 2015.

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