Britain Set for Sweeping Internet, Phone Monitoring

Source: Reuters

Britain set for sweeping Internet, phone monitoring
By Stephen Mangan
LONDON | Sun Apr 1, 2012 7:49pm EDT

By Stephen Mangan

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is to allow one of its intelligence agencies to monitor all phone calls, texts, emails and online activities in the country to help tackle crime and militant attacks, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

"It is vital that police and security services are able to obtain communications data in certain circumstances to investigate serious crime and terrorism and to protect the public," a Home Office spokesman said.

The proposed law already has drawn strong criticism, from within the ruling Conservative Party's own ranks, as an invasion of privacy and personal rights.

"What the government hasn't explained is precisely why they intend to eavesdrop on all of us without even going to a judge for a warrant, which is what always used to happen," Member of Parliament David Davis told BBC News.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE8300KD20120401?irpc=932