'Snooper's Charter' Bill Becomes Law

'Snooper's charter' bill becomes law, extending UK state surveillance
Home secretary hails ‘world-leading’ laws, which include forcing web and phone companies to collect browsing histories

The “snooper’s charter” bill extending the reach of state surveillance in Britain was given royal assent and became law on Tuesday as signatures on a petition calling for it to be repealed passed the 130,000 mark.

The home secretary, Amber Rudd, hailed the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 as “world-leading legislation” that provided “unprecedented transparency and substantial privacy protection”.

But privacy campaigners warned that it would provide an international standard to authoritarian regimes around the world to justify their own intrusive surveillance powers.

The new surveillance law requires web and phone companies to store everyone’s web browsing histories for 12 months and give the police, security services and official agencies unprecedented access to the data.

It also provides the security services and police with new powers to hack into computers and phones and to collection communications data in bulk. The law requires judges to sign off police requests to view journalists’ call and web records, but the measure has been described as “a death sentence for investigative journalism” in the UK.

Metropolitan police force
City of London police force
Police forces maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996
Police Service of Scotland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
British Transport Police
Ministry of Defence Police
Royal Navy Police
Royal Military Police
Royal Air Force Police
Security Service
Secret Intelligence Service
GCHQ
Ministry of Defence
Department of Health
Home Office
Ministry of Justice
National Crime Agency
HM Revenue & Customs
Department for Transport
Department for Work and Pensions
NHS trusts and foundation trusts in England that provide ambulance services
Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service
Competition and Markets Authority
Criminal Cases Review Commission
Department for Communities in Northern Ireland
Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland
Department of Justice in Northern Ireland
Financial Conduct Authority
Fire and rescue authorities under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
Food Standards Agency
Food Standards Scotland
Gambling Commission
Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority
Health and Safety Executive
Independent Police Complaints Commissioner
Information Commissioner
NHS Business Services Authority
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board
Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Regional Business Services Organisation
Office of Communications
Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
Police Investigations and Review Commissioner
Scottish Ambulance Service Board
Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
Serious Fraud Office
Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust

sawyerpip wrote:What's the rationale for some of these agencies having access, like the Food Standards Agency?

jawafour wrote:I'm not sure about how this works... would it mean that any of those bodies can track everyone's internet browsing at any time? Does there have to be a "reason" to do so? I'd assume so otherwise, for example, the Food Standards Agency could track my browsing on a permanent basis in case I was ever planning to undertake some kind of food poisoning?

Moggy wrote:

sawyerpip wrote:What's the rationale for some of these agencies having access, like the Food Standards Agency?

It's to stop people looking up recipes that are not fully approved by Brexit Britain. strawberry float off to France if you want a coq au vin.

Errkal wrote:

jawafour wrote:I'm not sure about how this works... would it mean that any of those bodies can track everyone's internet browsing at any time? Does there have to be a "reason" to do so? I'd assume so otherwise, for example, the Food Standards Agency could track my browsing on a permanent basis in case I was ever planning to undertake some kind of food poisoning?

Not quite.

It means everyone's internet usage is tracked all the time 24/7 and those agencies can access that data when they want to.

It is the start of guilty until proven innocent.

Jenuall wrote:...however I believe all of this still operates under a warrant system. Any of those agencies still need to obtain a warrant in order to view any of this data. And there has to be sufficient justification for said warrant to be issued.

jawafour wrote:

Jenuall wrote:...however I believe all of this still operates under a warrant system. Any of those agencies still need to obtain a warrant in order to view any of this data. And there has to be sufficient justification for said warrant to be issued.

Phew! Thanks, dude. My late-night visits to various Nintendo fansites should escape investigation .

Jenuall wrote:

Errkal wrote:

jawafour wrote:I'm not sure about how this works... would it mean that any of those bodies can track everyone's internet browsing at any time? Does there have to be a "reason" to do so? I'd assume so otherwise, for example, the Food Standards Agency could track my browsing on a permanent basis in case I was ever planning to undertake some kind of food poisoning?

Not quite.

It means everyone's internet usage is tracked all the time 24/7 and those agencies can access that data when they want to.

It is the start of guilty until proven innocent.

I've not read the bill in detail myself (feel free to have a look: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2016-2017/0066/17066.pdf) however I believe all of this still operates under a warrant system. Any of those agencies still need to obtain a warrant in order to view any of this data. And there has to be sufficient justification for said warrant to be issued.

sawyerpip wrote:

Moggy wrote:

sawyerpip wrote:What's the rationale for some of these agencies having access, like the Food Standards Agency?

It's to stop people looking up recipes that are not fully approved by Brexit Britain. strawberry float off to France if you want a coq au vin.

Well in fairness we do need to protect our national cuisines like Chinese and Indian takeaway.