I am pleased to see that Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, gave a stark warning in the Times about the dangers of "hardwiring surveillance" into the British way of life.
He warns, as indeed this site has been warning for several years, that "creeping surveillance" in the public and private sectors has gone "too far, too fast" and risks undermining democracy.
He is particularly worried about the the database that Nanny wants to build that will contains details of every telephone call, e-mail and text message.
He is quoted:
"In the last 10 or 15 years a great deal of surveillance in public and private places has been extended without sufficient thought to the risks and consequences.
Our society is based on liberty and democracy. I do not want to see excessive surveillance hardwired into British society."
Adding:
"A government-run database of the communications of all citizens, every phone call, every e-mail, every text, every internet use; a database of all those activities held by the Government would be a step too far for the British way of life.
That A has telephoned B on a particular date from a particular location is actually quite intrusive.
If an MP logged on to a site selling Viagra, that tells you quite a lot. If a 16-year-old girl goes on to a website about abortion that tells you an awful lot about her too.
I don't think there's a black-and-white distinction between traffic data and content."
Mr Thomas is also none too impressed with the requirements by some local police forces for all pubs, clubs etc to have CCTV monitoring their customers.
Quote:
"We've come out against the requirement for pub licensees to fit CCTV as a condition of their licence.
This is hardwiring surveillance into British pubs. It is unacceptable."
The fundamental question that Nanny and her chums in local councils and the police need to be asked, and answer clearly, is this:
Exactly who is the suspect?
The answer, based on Nanny's actions, is that we are all suspects.
That situation is intolerable, a healthy democracy cannot survive under conditions of such suspicion and mass observation.
ZaNuLabour is intent on destroying democracy.
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Too late Ken; Nanny and Euro Nanny have, between them, already destroyed our democracy and our way of life.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question, everyone, in Nanny's eyes, is a suspect until you have proved yourself innocent....That's a complete change in the maxim that underpinned our legal system of innocent until proven guilty.
CCTV does not prevent crime, it only records it....The best method of preventing crime is a visable police presence on the street; Just as we used to have.CCTV however is cheap and generates alot of cash through fines....Kerching....In my opinion, it is also "Lazy Policing."
I am really concerned about the direction our country is taking....Those under about thirty years of age, will not remember how much better our way of life was prior to the creeping authoritarianism of this government. Because they have known no different, they will think the current way of life and our relationship with the state are the norm.
Don't forget at 21-0hrs tonight on Channel 4, there is an insight into the minds of the bin police and bin men and how the power goes to their heads.
This is Kafkaesque - not least because our accusers will decide what constitutes 'guilt' and 'innocence'.
ReplyDeleteTonk is right - it is mostly the older generation who realise the significance of what is happening and are appalled by it. And we shall be dead quite soon.
During WW2, when I was growing up, there was hearty contempt for government snoopers. We valued our privacy then. Now, these faceless goons behind the CCTVs are widely seen as 'protecting' us. From ourselves, presumably.
bin Police?
ReplyDeleteOh my god, Tonk - are you telling me there's another terrorist figurehead now and that he's called bin Police?
I was birthed (with the aid of tugs) in 1960 and I can remember life before CCTV, databases and DNA. You're absolutely right, there's a whole generation now who look blank and have no idea what you mean if you question the "right" of the state to know any and every thing. They think MP3 = hi-fi too.
Pleasingly, after much hard work, my nephews and nieces are as cynical - and realistic - as I am. I wonder how that happened?
Yes Tonk, you're absolutely right. Kids are being brainwashed by a politically correct establishment where schools and the BBC are the governments mouthpiece. When I spout off about these sorts of things at work, I really believe the younguns think I'm mad. I've always found this march of the state deeply, deeply worrying and is one of many things about this government I despise but is surely at the top of the list.
ReplyDeleteI can see a forthcoming need for a set of light latex masks for use when visiting pubs (thinking about it that's something I very rarely do these days. Hmm.)
ReplyDeleteI think one Brown mask, a Darling mask, perhaps a Cameron mask. A couple of Princes maybe and, er, perhaps a Porritt as well. Obviously a Mandelson. Perhaps a Harperson as well? Anything to confuse.
I was shocked when watching last night's channel 4 documentary called revenge of the bin men.
ReplyDeleteIt seems there are many little nothings that have been given power by their employer, the local council, that then love to use that power and control and head out to issue as many fines as possible....Shameful.
I also noticed that the kids in school were being brainwashed into the green mindset....It showed a group of kids in the gym doing an exercise where they had to run up to a pile of stuff, pick one piece up, then put it into the correct rubbish bin.....These kids will be able to sort their waste but, sadly as products of Labour's education system, they shall be unable to read, write or count.
Still Nanny only needs mindless drones doesn't she?
Taking up the point above regarding snoopers.....As a child I was always told it was wrong to tell tales and no one liked a grass.....Nanny seems intent on turning the whole nation into a nation of tell tale tits......This will lead to a more divided country....Mind you, that's what Nanny likes; A divided population is easier to control.