British the most spied-on people in western world

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - British the most spied-on people in western world

Posted: 10/30/2006 1:55:59 AM EDT

The Sunday Times October 29, 2006

British the most spied-on people in western world
Lois Rogers

BRITISH people are now more spied upon by their political leaders than any other population in the free world, according to an official report.
The linkage of databases and surveillance systems mean people are now having their movements tracked, habits profiled and photograph taken hundreds of times a day. The findings, in a report compiled on behalf of Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, raised concerns that Britain is “waking up in a surveillance society”.

Thomas said: “Many of these schemes are public sector driven, and the individual has no choice over whether or not to take part. People are being scrutinised and having their lives tracked, and are not even aware of it.

“They don’t know, for instance, that a record is kept of every internet site they visit. They don’t realise that when identity cards come in, there will be a record of their movements and every time they have engaged with any public service.”

He also revealed that his office is investigating allegations of lax security at the Post Office, HSBC, NatWest and the Royal Bank of Scotland. The banks may face unlimited fines over claims that they dumped sensitive details of customers’ accounts on the streets.

The report, compiled by surveillance experts and academics, points out that a typical Briton will be caught on camera up to 300 times a day. Britain now has 4.2m public CCTV cameras, or one for every 14 people, more than any other country.

Other examples of surveillance highlighted by the report include the growing use of automatic number plate recognition to track people’s journeys and the long-term retention of logs detailing the websites people visit at home.

“It’s not just unwarranted intrusions into privacy, it’s also the dangers of inaccurate information, of mistakes being made, of information being held for too long,” Thomas said. He cited an example of a schoolgirl whose playground banter resulted in her father being refused work because he had been classed as a suspected paedophile. “The little girl was overheard saying, ‘My dad bonked me last night’. A dinner lady heard this and reported it to the school authorities,” Thomas said. Social services discovered that the girl was referring to her father tapping her playfully on the head with an inflatable hammer. The file was closed, but five years later the father discovered he was still a suspected sex offender.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2426874.html

Posted: 10/30/2006 5:39:23 AM EDT

[#1]

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Jesus, Andy. How long do you have until retirement?

The sad thing is, it's starting to happen here as well.

Google Chicago and cameras. Or, try the Atlanta traffic stuff, if it's still on the web, that is.

Posted: 10/30/2006 5:59:25 AM EDT

[#2]

remember, remember the fifth of november!

Posted: 10/30/2006 6:40:08 AM EDT

[#3]

WAR IS PEACE!

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY!

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH!

Posted: 10/30/2006 6:44:38 AM EDT

[#4]

Subjects, not citizens.

Posted: 10/30/2006 7:09:39 AM EDT

[#5]

I'm beginning to think the French Revolution was not such a bad idea.

Posted: 10/30/2006 7:20:53 AM EDT

[#6]

Watch out for the fingermen ANdy.

Posted: 10/30/2006 7:24:41 AM EDT

[#7]

What a sad country it has become.

Posted: 10/30/2006 7:49:01 AM EDT

[#8]

Must be the safest place with the lowest crime on the planet.

You mean it's not?

Posted: 10/30/2006 10:50:17 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
WAR IS PEACE!

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY!

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH!

“Remember our boys on the Malabar front! And the sailors in the Floating Fortresses! Just think what they have to put up with.”

Posted: 10/30/2006 11:02:41 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

BRITISH people are now more spied upon by their political leaders than any other population in the free world, according to an official report.

Can the British really still consider themselves to be members of the free world?

Posted: 10/30/2006 1:02:17 PM EDT

[#11]

My country has spiralled out of control

Even the Soviets had less of a grip on its people

Posted: 10/30/2006 1:07:51 PM EDT

[#12]

The people should not fear their government....
The government should fear the people.

Posted: 10/30/2006 1:14:36 PM EDT

[#13]

Looks as if George Orwell wasn't to far off

Posted: 10/30/2006 3:36:17 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Jesus, Andy. How long do you have until retirement?

The sad thing is, it's starting to happen here as well.

Google Chicago and cameras. Or, try the Atlanta traffic stuff, if it's still on the web, that is.

14 years to full pension… It's going to be a long wait.

ANdy

Posted: 10/31/2006 5:29:40 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Jesus, Andy. How long do you have until retirement?

The sad thing is, it's starting to happen here as well.

Google Chicago and cameras. Or, try the Atlanta traffic stuff, if it's still on the web, that is.

14 years to full pension… It's going to be a long wait.

ANdy

Well, you have time to plan. Read in the other thread about the medical thing, and thoughts of Portugal. Portugal is a nice place, I know of one US ret. Navy guy that did that. Don't know how it all worked out, but he maintained contact with the NATO guys in Lisbon, to some degree. Great food there, and the Commie thing wasn't as bad as many made it out to be, but that's been more than a few years ago anyway.

I have eight (minimum) to go, and sometimes I wonder if I'll last that long.

Probably will have at least one more relocation at that point, but this time we'll probably sell everything except the personal stuff and just start over at the retirement location, wherever that is.

Posted: 10/31/2006 5:34:43 AM EDT

[#16]

Correction: The British are the most spied-upon people who know about it.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - British the most spied-on people in western world

General » General Discussion

Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us