The UK government is planning to log details of the Internet usage of every UK citizen plus every phone call they make and every text message and email they send.
The database has been proposed as yet another method of combating terrorism and will be introduced in the Queen’s speech in November as the new Communications Data Bill.
The plan is to hold all data for a period of twelve months, during which time it can be accessed by security services and police that hold a court order.
“Holding large collections of data is always risky. The more data that is collected and stored, the bigger the problem when the data is lost, traded or stolen,” said assistant Information Commissioner Jonathan Bamford.
Bamford also said, “Defeating crime and terrorism is of the utmost importance, but we are not aware of any pressing need to justify the government holding this sort of data.”
There have been concerns raised about the unprecedented size of the data to be collected. Over three billion emails are sent every day in the UK, along with 50 billion text messages each year.
“The database would have to manage exponentially growing volumes of ‘unstructured’ data,” said Chris Dean, director at independent IT consultancy DWM Group.
Dean added, “The huge amount of information generated by emails, phone calls and web browsing will make the task of collating and retrieving information on demand enormous.”
Getting this bill through parliament will be tricky. David Davis, Shadow Home Secretary, has referred to the database as more of a threat than a support in stopping crime. Liberal Democrats are also gearing up to fight the move.
“Ministers have taken leave of their senses if they think that this proposal is compatible with a free country and a free people,” said Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne.
Huhne also commented, “Given its appalling track record of data loss, this government simply cannot be trusted with private information. This is an Orwellian step too far.”