Phone hacking: Met failed to consult before invoking Official Secrets Act – The Guardian

“Scotland Yard officers failed to consult either the director of public prosecutions or the attorney general before invoking the Official Secrets Act to try to force the Guardian to reveal journalistic sources, it has been revealed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No new social network banning powers being sought, Government says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 30th, 2011 in internet, investigatory powers, news by sally

“The Government is not seeking new powers to ban the use of social networking, the Home Office has said, according to media reports.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th August 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Twitter blocking: the technical and legal issues – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 15th, 2011 in internet, investigatory powers, news, telecommunications, violent disorder by sally

“David Cameron has said that the Government wants to explore ways to control social media following this week’s riots. Just how could such a plan work?”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th August 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Blackberry maker can lawfully assist police in combating riots, lawyer says – OUT-LAW.com

“The manufacturers of a messaging system used by London rioters to organise public disorder can legitimately hand over details of the communications to police, according to a legal expert.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th August 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Police forces come together to create new regional surveillance units – The Guardian

Posted July 27th, 2011 in crime prevention, investigatory powers, news, police by tracey

“Britain’s police forces are forming regional surveillance units with the power to carry out covert and intrusive investigations. Detectives believe the groups will make it easier for the authorities to bug computers, break into properties and interfere with wireless internet networks as part of countersurveillance operations, according to documents seen by the Guardian.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Councils and police rebuked for hi-tech snooping on public – The Independent

“Britain’s surveillance watchdog has reprimanded police forces, councils and government departments for overusing powers intended to clamp down on terrorism to snoop on members of the public.”

Full story

The Independent, 17th July 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MI5 admits to wrongful surveillance of innocent people, new report says – OUT-LAW.com

“The UK’s Security Service wrongly gathered information about innocent telephone users during criminal surveillance, a report into the interception of communications has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 5th July 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

BT and Phorm escape prosecution for secret wiretaps – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 11th, 2011 in interception, internet, investigatory powers, news, prosecutions by sally

“BT and Phorm will not face prosecution for trials of technology that secretly intercepted and profiled the broadband traffic of tens of thousands of people, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th April 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

News International could face prosecution – The Guardian

“News International as a corporation could face a criminal prosecution following its admission that the phones of celebrities were hacked into by its staff.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New code to govern CCTV cameras – The Independent

“Police forces and councils who want to set up CCTV systems will have to be open and clear about what they will be used for and why under Home Office plans.”

Full story

The Independent, 1st March 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Freedom Bill signals common sense approach to public protection – Home Office

“Millions of people will be protected from unwarranted state intrusion in their private lives, the Home Secretary has outlined in today’s Protection of Freedoms Bill.”

Full press release

Home Office, 11th February 2011

www.homeoffice.gov.uk

People get power to take CCTV abusers to court – Daily Telegraph

“Any member of the public will be able to refer a local authority for judicial review if they can argue their cameras were set up or are being used inappropriately.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th February 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Surveillance society soon a reality, report suggests – The Guardian

Posted November 15th, 2010 in investigatory powers, news, privacy by sally

“Information commissioner Christopher Graham is pressing ministers for new privacy safeguards in the wake of a report that suggests moves towards a surveillance society are expanding and intensifying.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

West Midlands police facing judicial review over surveillance project – The Guardian

Posted October 19th, 2010 in closed circuit television, investigatory powers, Islam, news, police by sally

“The West Midlands police force faces a judicial review over its plans to continue using cameras installed under a discredited scheme to place thousands of Muslims under permanent surveillance.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police lied to persuade CCTV staff to monitor drink-drive suspects – The Guardian

“Police were criticised today for inventing intelligence to persuade civilian CCTV operators to snoop on suspected drink-drivers outside pubs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police surveillance of Muslims set up with ‘no regard for law’ – The Guardian

Posted October 1st, 2010 in closed circuit television, investigatory powers, Islam, news, police by sally

“A secret police operation to place thousands of Muslims living in Birmingham under permanent surveillance was implemented with virtually no consultation, oversight or regard for the law, a report found today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Family win school catchment spying case – The Guardian

Posted August 2nd, 2010 in education, investigatory powers, local government, news, tribunals by sally

“A family won a landmark ruling today when a council was found to have acted illegally in spying on them for nearly three weeks to discover whether they had lied about living in the catchment area of a top primary school.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd August 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Emails and phones snooped on by authorities every minute – Daily Telegraph

“Public authorities asked for confidential communications data on more than 525,000 occasions last year including a 13 per cent increase in requests by town halls.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fears over new EU snooping powers for police – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 16th, 2010 in DNA, EC law, investigatory powers, news, police by sally

“The proposed power would allow officers from an EU country to demand information on anyone they suspect of an offence, no matter how minor or whether it is even criminal in the UK.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government begins RIPA review – OUT-LAW.com

“The Government will review the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), the law that governs state tapping of phone, email and internet use. The law will be looked at as part of a wider review of counter-terrorism laws.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 14th July 2010

Source: www.out-law.com