4
ISSUES: Privacy
Chapter 1: What is privacy?
Parliament passes most extreme
surveillance law in UK history
The UK Parliament has passed the Investigatory Powers Bill, the most extreme
surveillance law in our history.
T
he UK Government has failed
to respond to widespread
public dismay over secret
mass
surveillance
revealed
by
whistleblower Edward Snowden in
2013. The Bill will not only put into
statute the capabilities revealed by
Snowden but extend surveillance
even further.
This is not just of grave concern for UK
citizens. The impact of the Bill will be
felt around the world. Authoritarian
leaders with poor human rights
records can now point to the UK when
justifying their own surveillance
regimes.
The Bill will affect:
Our
right
to
privacy:
our
communications, Internet use and
personal data will be collected,
stored and analysed, even if we are
not under suspicion of a crime.
Our right to freedom of expression:
freedom of expression relies on the
freedom to explore and express
ideas without the threat of arbitrary,
unnecessary and disproportionate
interference. The IP Bill will have a
chilling effect on our freedom to
share and discuss.
Investigative journalism: the Bill
lacks
sufficient
guarantees
for
the protection of journalists and
their sources. It also fails to require
authorities to notify journalists before
hacking into their devices.
The security of the Internet: bulk
hacking powers could undermine the
security of the Internet for everyone.
Intelligence sharing: the Bill fails
to restrain the sharing of data and
integration of technology between
the UK and US.
Legal actions
A number of DSOU members are
taking legal action against the UK’s
mass surveillance powers. The UK’s
legal regime for bulk surveillance is
being challenged in two separate
cases at the ECHR, while the data
retention regime is being questioned
in the UK and EU courts in the Watson
(previously Watson-Davis) challenge.
We expect both courts to place
further demands for safeguards and
restraints on the highly permissive UK
surveillance regime.
Don’t
Spy
on
Us
members
will continue to challenge the
Investigatory Powers Act and fight
against mass surveillance.
Comment by Don’t Spy on Us
executive and affiliates
Renate Samson, Chief Executive
of Big Brother Watch
“The Government’s unwillingness
to debate the broad spectrum of
concerns voiced by members of the
House of Lords, security experts,
business,
technologists,
lawyers,
Limited trust in surveillance institutions ‘behaviour’
To what extent, if at all, would you trust the following to behave responsibly with information obtained
using new surveillance powers? (%)
53% Support
YouGov, Jan 15–16, 2015
Intelligence services
Police
Politicians and civil servants
63
29
50
42
45
46
Trust
Do not trust
