By Lucy Caulkett-
A highly UK threat justifies the mass collection of personal data in the U.K, the MI5, M16, and the Foreign Secretary, claim.
The claim came as the government defended accusations that there were no form of red flag systems to protect the privacy of UK citizens from the aggressive use of data collection process from the security services, under section 94 of the telecommunications Act 1994.
from the aggressive use of data collection process from the security services, under section 94 of the telecommunications Act 1994.
The charity privacy international raised the issue in a letter before the investigatory powers tribunal in a London hearing expected to last four days. The absence of any legal safeguards to protect the privacy of UK citizen’s private data has been raised in past times as an intrusion into the privacy of ordinary Brits, who would hate to know that their private information and even their communications could be monitored by the security service and the U.K intelligence service.
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However, James Eadie QC stated that section 94 has always been used lawfully and in a way necessary to address the current terrorist threat facing the UK. The security services have pointed out that the threat of a terrorist attack in the U.K is ”severe”, with the recent terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Paris, and Brussels, an indication that Britain is very likely to be hit anytime soon. The statement signals an admission that it may be impossible for the security services to guarantee to prevent a serious attack from taken place in the U.K.
The U.K has nor suffered a major terrorist attack since 7/7 in 2007 when 52 were killed in four coordinated terrorist attacks on the London underground and a number of decker buses in the city. Several attacks have since been foiled; many of the would-be terrorists jailed as a consequence. The security services in the U.K have been brilliant in its defence of the British people, but fears that an attack is likely to slip the excellent shield that has prevented one so far are worrying for obvious reasons.
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It may actually be true that the collection of personal data of citizens, aimed at monitoring individuals is necessary, but it must be done selectively and handled professionally and with the highest level of integrity. We are living in dark times that require the highest level of expertise in all top operations. A highly likely threat to the U.K justifies the mass collection of data of personal information if it will definitely lead to advancing the quality of our security services.
Genuine citizens with nothing to hide will have nothing to worry about provided the information obtained is used responsibly. Legal safeguards to protect the privacy of innocent citizens should include clear criminal consequences of any information abused as a result of intrusion by the intelligence services. With such logical guidelines in place, the mass collection of our data may simply serve to keep us safer as a whole in these dangerous times.
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