Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CaptainZok]

Conversely is the threat of terrorism being used to justify the increasing "Police State"?

[albitz]

It wont prevent that.They will be aware and find ways around it. Criminals of any description always do.It will be the general populace who will suffer,but the breakwits in Whitehall will be able to produce some starts to say what a great success the whole thing has been.If you give up your freedom in the name of protecting freedom,where does that leave you ? It means those attacking freedom have won.
The only possible hope of defeating terrorists is good intelligence from inside sources etc.This type of thing will never do the job.

[Nickbat]

Just surprised that someone hasnt yet posted up the "If youve nothing to hide youve nothing to fear" chestnut.

Whether or not I agree with it is not relevent, but I would have to say I do understand why. Whilst we have to tolerate people who make it their mission to kill innocent citizens, I think our own privacy will reduce 

Yes, we need to protect the public, but that does not mean a blanket charter for the government to snoop. If they have reason to suspect someone is planning a terrorist outrage, the security services should apply for (and most times be granted) a warrant to eavesdrop, in the same way they need a warrant to search someone's home. They should not be given a blank cheque to snoop on anyone (e.g. their political foes, perchance?). 

[Nickbat]

Conversely is the threat of terrorism being used to justify the increasing "Police State"?

Absolutely! 

Consider the level of personal intrusion at UK airports with their body scanners, with that at Tel Aviv, where they use "positive profiling". Oh yes, sorry, that's racist, innit? 

[TheBoy]

Conversely is the threat of terrorism being used to justify the increasing "Police State"?

If it *was* genuinely purely for the threat of terrorism, it might sit easier with me.

[tigers_gonads]

Take a drive down the A59 between Skipton and Harrogate and as you pass RAF Menworth Hill, watch the signal disappear on your phone and gps 
That place has been listening and watching for "key words" in your phone calls / text messages and e mails for at least 20 years.
Anything that is flaged up is sent down the chain to GCHQ or across the water to the states and then passed on to the relevent sections of the various inteligence services for further investigations if needed.
If this law is passed, it just means that the cps can use any infomation gained in this way in a UK civilian court of law 

[cem_devecioglu]

Conversely is the threat of terrorism being used to justify the increasing "Police State"?

yes.. and more than that, ambitious politicians use that tool to bend democracy if there is any left..
 

[jerry]

Conversely is the threat of terrorism being used to justify the increasing "Police State"?

That is exactly the concern! TBH this worry has been growing at a steady rate since 9/11 and I dont think its just pure conspiracy theory either that the continuous errosion of privacy under the guise of the "war on terror" is being done for legitimate or ethical reasons alone. Thankfully we are not living in a totally "Big Brother" state just yet but such monitoring methods are the start of a slippery slope. As others have said however, technology is constantly evolving and the reality is that the serious criminals/terrorists will always be able to slip through the nets at some point whatever new methods are adopted

[Rods2]

With most major ISPs in the UK and many other countries this is already happening and has been for many years. Legislation will bring on board those ISPs that have resisted and makes the evidence 'openly' available for the courts.

Saying phone calls / emails won't be / aren't already monitored is bull as they are for keywords already.

[STMO123]

I wonder if they monitor forums.

BLOW UP THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT!!

I'll wait for the knock on the door now   

[mantahatch]

I wonder if they monitor forums.

BLOW UP THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT!!

I'll wait for the knock on the door now   

+1, we need a modern day Mr Fawkes. (looks nervously over shoulder)

[doz]

If it helps protect us from terrorists and crimminals I for one am all for it. After all I have nothing to hide. If they wish to read my e-mails to you lot about car faffing then let em. They won't be interested in the like's of us. The only people who should be worried is those who have something to hide. So I for one don't have a issue with it. Same as I didn't have a issue with the idea of ID cards. If it means it helps stop some jumped up nutter hurting my family then bring it on.

[Martian]

I wonder if they monitor forums.

BLOW UP THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT!!

I'll wait for the knock on the door now   

Say it on the phone and wait   

If it helps protect us from terrorists and crimminals I for one am all for it. After all I have nothing to hide. If they wish to read my e-mails to you lot about car faffing then let em. They won't be interested in the like's of us. The only people who should be worried is those who have something to hide. So I for one don't have a issue with it. Same as I didn't have a issue with the idea of ID cards. If it means it helps stop some jumped up nutter hurting my family then bring it on.

That's the problem, the new laws aren't helping you at all.
If anything, the new laws are being abused to the hilt and nothing is done when it is discovered the authorities have acted illegally (example at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584713/Poole-council-spies-on-family-over-school-claim.html )

As for not being interested in us doing whatever (eg, putting the wrong type of rubbish in a bin), that's already happening.

[Nickbat]

Aha!

Just found out that it's an EU Directive (2006/24/EC).

No chance of stopping it then. 

[Nickbat]

Just surprised that someone hasnt yet posted up the "If youve nothing to hide youve nothing to fear" chestnut.

If it helps protect us from terrorists and crimminals I for one am all for it. After all I have nothing to hide.

Be surprised no longer Albs.