The Draft Communications Bill

'A Snoopers Charter'

The Draft Communications Data Bill (CDB) is the latest incarnation of the Interception Modernisation Programme. CDB is a mass surveillance scheme for the UK. It will allow the logging of every phone call, email, text message and letter as well as communication on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Loz Kaye commented on the draft issued today:

"In talking about the Communications Data Bill we are hearing the sinister justification that 'if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear". The truth is that everyone has something to fear from the CDB. It is an extreme violation of privacy and is a threat to liberty."

"The CDB is not simply a means to maintain the ability to access logs of communications, like an officer asking for phone records, but a widening of that power to extreme levels. It is the power to request information about every conversation you have online with anyone, the power to see which web sites you have looked at, what you've read and where you shop".

"CDB will be expensive and parliament is writing a blank cheque. It may help some of the time after a crime, but given consecutive Home Secretaries have said that communications data is already available and used for every terrorism investigation and 95% of serious organised crime investigations it seems a lot to pay in both taxes and freedoms for so little benefit."

"This initiative poses a grave threat to the privacy and freedoms of every person living in or visiting the UK, it should be opposed and if there is a problem with evidence gathering a more balanced approach sought."

The Draft Communications Data Bill - official-documents.gov.uk

Loz Kaye
Party Leader
Pirate Party UK
@lozkaye

campaigns@pirateparty.org.uk

Contact:
press@pirateparty.org.uk
+44 (0) 161 987 7880