Internet black boxes to record every email and website visit by computer users
November 6th, 2008 - 4:10 pm ICT by ANILondon, Nov 6 (ANI): Soon, Internet black boxes could be used to record every email and website visit made by computer users in Britain.
According to a report in the Telegraph, under the British Governments plans to monitor Internet traffic, raw data would be collected and stored by the black boxes before being transferred to a giant central database.
The vision was outlined at a meeting between officials from the Home Office and Internet Service Providers in London.
This is further evidence of the Governments desire to have the capability to vet every telephone call, email and Internet visit made in the UK, which has already provoked an outcry.
The proposal is expected to be put out to consultation as part of the new Communications Data Bill early next year.
At the meeting in London, representatives from BT, AOL Europe, O2 and BSkyB were given a presentation of the issues and the technology surrounding the Governments Interception Modernisation Programme (IMP), the name given by the Home Office to the database proposal.
They were told that the security and intelligence agencies wanted to use the stored data to help fight serious crime and terrorism.
Officials tried to reassure the industry by suggesting that many smaller ISPs would be unaffected by the black boxes as these would be installed upstream on the network and hinted that all costs would be met by the Government.
They said they only wanted to return to a position they were in before the emergence of internet communication, when they were able to monitor all correspondence with a police suspect, according to a delegate at the meeting.
The difference here is they will be in a much better position to spy on many more people on the basis of their Internet behaviour, the delegate added.
Ministers have said that plans for the database have not been confirmed, and that it is not their intention to introduce monitoring or storage equipment that will check or hold the content of emails or phonecalls on the traffic.
According to a spokesman for the Home Office, We are public about the IMP, but we are still working out the detail. There will a consultation on the Communications Data Bill early next year. (ANI)
- Britain to store phone, email records of people - Feb 19, 2012
- Adverts will target individuals to prevent channel hopping - Mar 15, 2011
- UK govt's plan to block Internet porn 'not possible' - Dec 21, 2010
- UK Government to Track Every Email and Website Visit - Oct 21, 2010
- James Murdoch quits boards of Sun, Times - Nov 23, 2011
- Royal wedding may be broadcast in 3-D - Feb 06, 2011
- Britain to introduce legislation to monitor internet use - Apr 02, 2012
- Britain to monitor web, cell phone use - Apr 01, 2012
- EU court's ruling can impact film, games telecasts - Oct 04, 2011
- RIM denies allegations of 'installing a network data analysis system' in India - Dec 31, 2010
- 'Security agencies unable to decrypt intercepted communications' - Aug 17, 2011
- Oz web snooping policy blasted as " nanny state gone totally insane" - Jun 17, 2010
- Murdoch's News Corp withdraws bid for BSkyB - Jul 13, 2011
- Egypt Shuts Down Internet Amidst Rising Political Unrest And Protests - Jan 28, 2011
- Government wants to monitor Facebook, Twitter accounts - Aug 14, 2011
Tags: aol europe, black boxes, british governments, bskyb, central database, computer users, database proposal, delegate, intelligence agencies, internet behaviour, internet black, internet communication, internet service providers, internet traffic, internet visit, new communications, outcry, raw data, storage equipment, telephone call