The scattergun Snooping Bill won’t help tackle crime, or protect people

Over a year ago, the Government proposed to increase the available powers of surveillance – giving authorities the ability to monitor every British citizen’s internet activities. It is claimed that such powers are essential to keep pace with tackling crime and terrorism; even though such proposals were ditched by the last Government.

Their plans faced substantial opposition across Parliament, from the public, internet experts and civil liberties groups. Interestingly, the Government’s current plans bear little difference and continue to face similar oppositions.

A Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament, alongside the Intelligence and Security Select Committee conducted pre-legislative scrutiny of the Communications Data Bill. Both committees expressed clear concerns about the proportionality, cost and most importantly the scope of the proposals.

The Bill sought to extend the wide net of already existing surveillance powers to include every telephone call, e-mail, piece of internet usage, text message – and even, as some civil liberties organisations claimed, postcards.