Snoopers Charter passed.... Welcome to 1984.

[Alexis]

I seem to keep saying this lately but the world is a terrifying place right now.
The British government has quietly passed a law that allows them to legally hack and snoop on anyone in the country. Not just businesses and companies but every individual person. Looking into their entire internet browsing history. And they can collect as much data on any individual as they see fit. Supposedly under the guise of counter terrorism. The government could know what you read, your political views, taste in fashion, sexual orientation, what exactly you spend your money on and even if you prefer Dallas or Dynasty!

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...rivacy-investigatory-powers-act-a7426461.html

I can not even begin to explain how freaked out I am by this. How it was passed without any news shows what kind of state we are living in.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Christopher Walken got rid if his computer for such reasons. And if he doesn't understand creepy, then who does?

Dump your computers, blowtorch that hard drive (sounds dirty) and only use your cell phone for emergency calls!!

 

[Alexis]

Christopher Walken got rid if his computer for such reasons. And if he doesn't understand creepy, then who does?

Dump your computers, blowtorch that hard drive (sounds dirty) and only use your cell phone for emergency calls!!

I actually have anxiety over this. Not that I have anything to hide, but that's not the point. I want to run off to some remote part of Southern Ireland and build a shack with no internet. I could probably survive on canned foods and if need be, learn to fish.

 

[Angela Channing]

Teresa May's Nasty Party strikes again.

 

[Karin Schill]

 

[Richard Channing]

They're gonna wanna know who's got a bee in their bonnet about the even more fascist shit their gonna pull next.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Oh well, I've always sort of (subconsciously) accepted that "they" can read everything I do on my computer. Doesn't bother me whatsoever.
I only hope they haven't installed a mini-camera (*licks lips*)

 

[Alexis]

Teresa May's Nasty Party strikes again.

No wonder they keep making cuts. How the hell else are they expected to pay people to monitor the internet history of every individual in the country, all the time. Oh God... Have I just committed thought crime?

While this law doesn't actually take away freedom of speech. What it could do is cause people to somehow subconsciously self-edit themselves online. A nation of sheep.

 

[Willie Oleson]

What it could do is cause people to somehow subconsciously self-edit themselves online

Why? All you have to do is NOT post defamatory comments and hate speech. That's not what the internet is for, imo.

 

[Alexis]

Why? All you have to do is NOT post defamatory comments and hate speech. That's not what the internet is for, imo.

Ahh.... But it isn't that simple. It's not really about hate speech, or even terrorism. In recent years we have learned with things like the Snowdon stuff that the UK government had secretly been spying on innocent people. Environmentalists and such. People who questioned the government and authority. These people hadn't done anything wrong or illegal but had their privacy invaded. At huge cost to the pubic too. It's about control. Anyone reading about, or posting views that would seem contradictory to the government stance on things could potentially be red flagged and spied upon and investigated. And why? Because they held a different or questioning view? That is not democratic is it? It's totalitarian. And now MP's are trying to have themselves made exempt from this surveillance. When I think most would agree that they are the ones that should be monitored the most.
Is this how a regime happens? Quietly?

"If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear"
Joseph Goebbels - Nazi Minister of Propaganda.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Anyone reading about, or posting views that would seem contradictory to the government stance on things could potentially be red flagged and spied upon and investigated

Yes, I see your point. But you live in Ireland, not Russia. It's still allowed to have different opinions in Northern Europe, is it not?

 

[Alexis]

Yes, I see your point. But you live in Ireland, not Russia. It's still allowed to have different opinions in Northern Europe, is it not?

Well time will tell. We will no longer be afforded the same legal benefits as those in the EU. The UK government can make their own rules now.

 

[Zable]

The British government has quietly passed a law.... How it was passed without any news shows what kind of state we are living in.

Is this how a regime happens? Quietly?

When regime change happens quietly, look to public apathy – in this case, about bulk data collection.

The Snoopers' Charter makes lawful in the UK what was unlawful for 7 years (in terms of surveillance powers) and went without proper oversight for 17 years. It makes more transparent what wasn’t transparent … so it’s easier to know if the authorities (eg police, intelligence agencies) are doing something legal or not.

To be fair to the current government of old Blighty, when it introduced the Investigatory Powers Bill 2015 – the Snoopers' Charter to you & me – last November, it put the draft online for downloading for all to read and comment on, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/473770/Draft_Investigatory_Powers_Bill.pdf

It’s the same procedure for all bills that the UK govt and past govts have followed.

Normally, what will then happen: Some folk will download these things, and those that don’t like what they see will form pressure groups and strategize on how to get the word out and lobby for the changes they want. They’ll try and get both politicians and the Press on their side, asking for broad coverage of events and some in-depth reporting of issues. Then those who do support what’s proposed in the bill will get in with their side of things. News media often take their cue on what topic to devote more space, time and resources from the letters/emails they receive.

I’m guessing Brexit punched the wind out of a great many sails.

And so it was that The Guardian reported that the (UK) Investigatory Powers Bill 2015 was made law this Nov 29 “with barely a whimper”, explaining:

“The security agencies and police began the year (2016) braced for at least some opposition, rehearsing arguments for the debate. In the end, faced with public apathy and an opposition in disarray, the government did not have to make a single substantial concession to the privacy lobby."

It seems to me that there was more niche reporting of this cybersecurity bill than general reporting before it came into law, due to lack of greater public interest.

The Guardian quoted Liberal Democrat Lord Strasburger, a harsh critic of the Snoopers' Charter, as saying: "If Labour had backed us up, we could have made the bill better. We have ended up with a bad bill because they were all over the place."

The Snoopers' Charter is ‘bad’ because, according to Big Brother Watch CEO Renate Samson, “None of us online are now guaranteed the right to communicate privately and, most importantly, securely.”

 

[Alexis]

I’m guessing Brexit punched the wind out of a great many sails.

I have been wondering if Brexit has in some way enabled the Investigatory Powers Act to be passed. Could such an act be passed in EU member states or would EU law block it?

 

[Zable]

Re Brexit... just a hunch folk didn't have the energy for another fight just yet, especially over something that's already been happening behind-the-scenes for years. Re EU... haven't a clue, sorry.

 

[KayLloyd]

I actually have anxiety over this. Not that I have anything to hide, but that's not the point. I want to run off to some remote part of Southern Ireland and build a shack with no internet. I could probably survive on canned foods and if need be, learn to fish.

It's nothing that hasn't been done by governments all over the world for years.

 

[Alexis]

It's nothing that hasn't been done by governments all over the world for years.

That doesn't make it right though. The apathy that most people seem to have about things like this astounds me.
We aren't allowed to poke our noses into government information or police information. We aren't allowed to know much, but the government can know every single thing about us.

 

[KayLloyd]

That doesn't make it right though. The apathy that most people seem to have about things like this astounds me.
We aren't allowed to poke our noses into government information or police information. We aren't allowed to know much, but the government can know every single thing about us.

Oh absolutely, it's wrong and none us want it happen. I was just trying to say that it shouldn't be a huge new shock.

 

[Willie Oleson]

but the government can know every single thing about us

if that helps them to catch a bad guy...
Safety and privacy are a rare combination these days. You can't have your cake and eat it.
I don't like it, but that's the world we're living in right now.