Law would allow Britain to decode, read
e-mail
New York Times
July 19, 2000
LONDON - As the Clinton administration formally enters the debate about law
enforcement surveillance in cyberspace, the British government is about to enact
a law that would give authorities broad powers to intercept and decode e-mail
and other communications between companies, organizations and individual
citizens.
The measure, which goes further than the U.S. plan unveiled on Monday in
Washington, would make Britain the only Western democracy where the
government could require anyone using the Internet to turn over the keys to
decoding e-mails and other data encrypted for secrecy.
Despite a barrage of criticism from all sides, the bill is likely to become law as it
passes through its final stage in the House of Lords and returns to the House of
Commons next week, because the Labor government, which offered the plan,
holds a wide majority in Parliament.
Government officials say the measure is essential if law enforcement agencies are
to combat the sort of sophisticated modern crime that is enhanced by access to
the Internet, including pedophilia, drug smuggling, money laundering, terrorism
and trafficking in refugees.
To justify such surveillance, authorities would not be required to take elaborate
steps to persuade an independent arbiter such as a court that a crime had
probably been committed. In contrast to the United States, the British authorities
have had a tradition of unfettered and often uncontested intrusion into citizens'
privacy. http://www.arizonarepublic.com:80/news/articles/0719britmail19.html
------------------
Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
New York Times
July 19, 2000
LONDON - As the Clinton administration formally enters the debate about law
enforcement surveillance in cyberspace, the British government is about to enact
a law that would give authorities broad powers to intercept and decode e-mail
and other communications between companies, organizations and individual
citizens.
The measure, which goes further than the U.S. plan unveiled on Monday in
Washington, would make Britain the only Western democracy where the
government could require anyone using the Internet to turn over the keys to
decoding e-mails and other data encrypted for secrecy.
Despite a barrage of criticism from all sides, the bill is likely to become law as it
passes through its final stage in the House of Lords and returns to the House of
Commons next week, because the Labor government, which offered the plan,
holds a wide majority in Parliament.
Government officials say the measure is essential if law enforcement agencies are
to combat the sort of sophisticated modern crime that is enhanced by access to
the Internet, including pedophilia, drug smuggling, money laundering, terrorism
and trafficking in refugees.
To justify such surveillance, authorities would not be required to take elaborate
steps to persuade an independent arbiter such as a court that a crime had
probably been committed. In contrast to the United States, the British authorities
have had a tradition of unfettered and often uncontested intrusion into citizens'
privacy. http://www.arizonarepublic.com:80/news/articles/0719britmail19.html
------------------
Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.