Net data to be recorded under new UK spy laws

The David Cameron government on Wednesday unveiled controversial plans to give new surveillance powers to the police and security services, allowing them to track and store records for a year of every UK citizen’s use of the internet without the need for judicial check.

The provisions are part of the draft investigatory powers bill unveiled by home secretary Theresa May in the House of Commons.

The plans, first announced in the Queen’s Speech in May, were dubbed ‘snooper’s charter’ and attracted much criticism from the opposition, civil liberties campaigners and some Conservative MPs. The bill received guarded welcome from Labour and Liberal Democrats.

The bill includes new powers requiring internet and phone companies to keep “internet connection records” for a maximum of 12 months but will not require a warrant for the police, security services or other bodies to access the data.

The bill aims to provide a “comprehensive and comprehensible” overhaul of Britain’s surveillance laws. The bill explicitly includes for the first time powers for the bulk collection of large volumes of communications and other personal data by intelligence agencies such as MI5, GCHQ, MI6.

May said: “There should be no area of cyberspace which is a haven for those who seek to harm us to plot, poison minds and peddle hatred under the radar. But I am also clear that the exercise and scope of investigatory powers should be clearly set out and subject to stringent safeguards and robust oversight”.

May told MPs that the introduction of power to store everyone’s internet connection records was “simply the modern equivalent of an itemised phone bill”.