Fergie's Tech Blog

UK: £68M 'Snooping' Database Will Have Little Impact on Serious Crime

Nick Heath writes on Silicon.com:

Powers to snoop on the UK's email and internet records will be of limited use in tackling serious crime, the government has admitted.

Home Office proposals for phone, email and internet records - including VoIP - to be kept for 12 months are expected to cost taxpayers up to £68m to set up and £39m per year to run.

Consultation papers released this week show the government wants to keep the "who", "when" and "where" of communication to "assist in the investigation, detection and prosecution of serious crime".

But a spokeswoman for the Home Office admitted the proposals would be of restricted use against organised criminals or terrorist organisations, as they were likely to disguise their communications.

posted by Fergie @ 8/13/2008 12:31:00 PM