Tag Archives: Telecommunications Act

The Independent View: Obscure powers secretly used to hoover up our data

 

If the question relates to section 94 of the Telecommunications Act, then I am afraid I can neither confirm nor deny any issues in relation to the utilisation or otherwise of section 94 (James Brokenshire, 18.3.2014)

As an MP, Julian Huppert spent considerable time pushing for information about the ‘astonishingly broad power’ of clause 94 of the Telecommunications Act 1984, a clause which enables the Government to require telecommunications providers to cooperate with them in very broad terms. He tried to find out how often these extra ordinary powers were used and who, if anyone, was checking they were being used appropriate. He got nowhere.

As a result of litigation brought by Privacy International, the staggering use of this power has been exposed. Huppert’s suspicions were on track – GCHQ and MI5 have used section 94 to collect our data in bulk. They have been using these powers for 19 years in total secret, without even the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament having any knowledge of the use of Bulk Communications Data, or that section 94(1) was being (ab)used.

Posted in The Independent View | Also tagged | 5 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Pawel Urbanski
    No argument on reform. My worry is the word "higher". It tends to lose elections. The real scandal is not the rates, it is a tax code so complex the wealthy can...
  • Meg Thomas
    @russel @david I thought the triple lock was unfair but it has brought state pensions up to the levels in most devleoped countries AND remember that younger peo...
  • expats
    Ever more scare mongering about 'DEFENCE' is putting basic living standards at risk; who exactly is threatening us militarily? Russia is unable to win a war aga...
  • Nick Hopkinson
    As usual another erudite article from William. Whilst I support the imposition of some taxes on excessive wealth, I would like to see the party focus primarily ...
  • Jenny Barnes
    How about joining in fewer discretionary wars. Stop the MOD wasting money. Cancel Ajax and the planned F35a purchase. Mothball or use for spares one of the airc...