Industry and human rights campaigners have condemned new data retention proposals from the UK's Home Office (Ministry of Internal Affairs).

The draft Statutory Instruments (secondary legislation) would approve 'voluntary' retention by Internet Service Providers, but preserve the power of the Home Secretary to impose a compulsory code. Data on customers would be retained for up to 12 months, and could be accessed by a large number of government bodies for many different purposes. While the 'Snoopers Charter', that enabled access for almost every government-related agency was officially withdrawn in June 2002, the new proposals show no change of heart. In fact, only one of the 24 categories of bodies that were to be given access to data in 2002 has been dropped from the Government's list, while 3 new ones were added.

ISPs are worried about the cost and privacy implications for their customers. Human rights groups have criticised the regulations as a draconian invasion of privacy that is unlikely to provide the benefits claimed by its intelligence agency and law enforcement supporters.

Home Office snooping plans are almost unchanged (15.09.2003)
http://www.fipr.org/press/030915ripa.html

Blunkett revives plan to let agencies trawl phone and net users' records
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/news/0,12597,1041392,00.html