Amid the excitement of World Cup fever and continuing media interest in the conflicts in the Middle and Far East, a solitary piece of government-related news has been cutting a swathe through the tabloids and talk shows on this humid little isle.
In a time which many of us can still remember - which is to say, pre post-11 September - the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) would have been contested by more than just civil liberties groups, and individuals who believe in their rights to privacy. However, the world changed on that day, and now, not only is RIPA big news, it`s actually being welcomed by those who see it as another means of protection against all threats great and small.
There is a surprising number of people out there who appear happy to give up their freedom and right to privacy for the sake of potential safety.
Basheera Khan, UK correspondent, ITWeb
When it was introduced to the UK Parliament in 2000, RIPA was viewed as particularly intrusive, but focused on giving investigatory powers to security bodies, customs and the Inland Revenue, with the view of giving teeth to bodies tackling crimes such as drug trafficking, people smuggling, paedophilia and money laundering.
Even then, the Act was contested, with many wondering how exactly it made sense that for example, the social services benefits fraud agency would need separate powers to investigate organised crime without involving the police in any way.
Under the amendments made to the Act since its introduction, the government plans to add to the number of authorities which, without the aid of a court order, can demand access to phone, Internet and e-mail records. The sentiment in the observer camp is strongly biased to the belief that there are many bodies whose need for this kind of information can`t reasonably be justified, and that in many cases, it is questionable as to whether these bodies will be capable of exercising such powers without abusing them.
The amended Act allows phone companies, ISPs and postal operators to be served with notices demanding information such as names and addresses of users, phone numbers called, source and destination of e-mails, the identity of Web sites visited or mobile phone location data - and all this information will be required to be held for 12 months.
RIPA is expected to give security forces in the UK more powers to access telecoms data than their equivalents in any other European country.
This display of confidence appears to have bolstered the European Union (EU) into broadening the range of proposed Europe-wide legislation.
Big brother
Europol, the EU`s police and intelligence unit, has reportedly drawn up a wide-ranging proposal which will require companies which run Internet sites to retain individuals` passwords, require ISPs to record which sites their customers visit, require site owners to keep details of credit card or bank details used for subscriptions and require mobile phone companies to keep records on the location of people making calls.
The document proposes that e-mail data should include the sender`s information, time, date and location from which the message was sent, and its contents.
It is understandable then that civil liberties groups both in the UK and across the EU are up in arms about the proposed changes. It`s even moved the normally apathetic UK public to use sites such as www.faxyourmp.com to express their unhappiness at the situation.
Nevertheless, there is a surprising number of people out there who appear happy to give up their freedom and right to privacy for the sake of potential safety. They support the theory that if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn`t be concerned about the number of authorities which will be granting such extensive snooping rights.
So far though, the ultimate defence against RIPA is the difficulty in implementing it. The government hasn`t yet specified the level of official in the various bodies added who will have the power to require this information. It is optimistic about having procedure in place by August. It`s a long shot, but who knows, perhaps divine intervention will put an end to this bid at privacy invasion.
In the words of Benjamin Franklin: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
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