Re:MI5 'secretly collected phone data' for decade
by spacecowboy_lon on Friday November 06, 2015 @04:23AM
(#10518514)
Probably because the data is only used for intelligence / contra intelligence purposes and quiet rightly the plod (Police) are not allowed to go on fishing expeditions.
Re:MI5 'secretly collected phone data' for decade
by JupiterMoon on Friday November 06, 2015 @07:09AM
(#10519038)
Well the <sarcasm>good news</end sarcasm> is that the new laws being proposed in the UK will give the data to the police as well. Given the record of abuse of such data it won't be long before they are dragnetting the database.
Re:MI5 'secretly collected phone data' for decade
by spacecowboy_lon on Friday November 06, 2015 @08:41AM
(#10519364)
That's the worrying issue then the Police and the Home Secratery are not getting on at the moment - I can see the lords putting some amendments down to kill off general access by the plod.
Re:MI5 'secretly collected phone data' for decade
by harkyns_ruins on Friday November 06, 2015 @04:33AM
(#10518534)
Well the current laws passed in Australia mean a large array of government departments can see our metadata.
That aside, we know the intelligence gathered has been used for parallel construction... perhaps just selectively I guess.
Re:MI5 'secretly collected phone data' for decade
by bediger4000 on Friday November 06, 2015 @08:34AM
(#10519333)
Dragnet surveillance data must be used selectively: you don't want to use it against your "confidential informants", after all. That would ruin their testimony in later cases, and give previously convicted "perps" grounds for appeal.
The one thing that makes me (grimace) laugh is that with this level of surveillance, they seem to be either a) incredibly incompetent because of all the corruption, paedophilia and so on that seems to go unpunished/uncaught, or b) a tool used by people higher up the chain for other purposes.