Category Archives: Big mad database

Government minister: we may still introduce the big, mad database

By The Voice | Thu 17th July 2008 - 6:03 pm

Coruscating criticism from the Information Commission of the idea of putting together a huge new database of all our emails, mobile calls and internet use hasn’t put Labour off the idea.

Instead government minister Lord West has told Parliament that, “it is very early days as to where we go on this.” In other words – we are still thinking about going ahead with this.

And therefore – we need to keep up the pressure on this issue. It’s very easy to write to your MP, and here again are our top four arguments you can use:

1. It would be a huge …

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The Government wants to know who you’ve been speaking to

By Mark Pack | Mon 14th July 2008 - 8:52 am

It looks like the Government’s plans to keep tabs on everyone’s mobile phone calls and email messages are moving on a little. As the BBC reports:

Government plans to collect more data on mobile phone calls and internet usage have been further criticised as an attack on civil liberties.

The government is considering a new system which will automatically retrieve communications information from a centralised database.

Liberal Democrat Norman Baker said it was another example of Britain’s “surveillance society”

The Home Office says intercepting data is vital to fight crime and terrorism.

At present, the police and intelligence

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Tagged norman baker | 2 Comments

LDV Campaign: stop the big, mad database

By The Voice | Wed 4th June 2008 - 10:49 am

You may have seen the news that the Home Office is thinking of putting together a database of every phone call and email in the UK.

Well, don’t get angry – get campaigning! We’ve decided this is a good topic for The Voice’s first campaign, but a campaign is only as good as its participants, which is where you come in…

But first – why do we think it’s a barmy idea?

Here are our top four reasons:

1. It would be a huge intrusion on our privacy and civil liberty.

2. It would present a massive risk of misuse – either hacking from the outside …