Jack Doyle reports: More and more town hall bureaucrats have been caught snooping on private details held on a giant ‘Big Brother’ tax and benefits database. Instances of unlawful hacking of the Customer Information System, which belongs to the Department of Work and Pensions and holds the personal records of 85 million people, have increased…
Category: Non-U.S.
EU: Every Google search to be logged and saved for two years under new Euro MP plan
Niall Firth and Andrew Levy report: Every Google web search could be stored for up to two years under a controversial new EU plan that has the backing of more than 300 Euro-MEPs. ‘Written Declaration 29’ is intended to be used as an early warning system to stop paedophiles by logging what they look for…
Got porn? Australian customs can search your computer
Chris Anderson reports: By now you probably already know that if you head to Australia, customs officers can search electronics devices for porn upon entry. A question has appeared on Incoming Passenger Cards asking people if they are carrying pornography. If a passenger ticks “Why yes, yes I am carrying porn officer!” then that passenger’s…
UK: London councils use anti-terror law to catch charity shop donors
Miranda Bryant reports: London councils used anti-terror laws to snoop on residents more than 1,000 times in two years, it was revealed today. The figures, obtained by campaign group Big Brother Watch, also show that only 71 of the secret investigations under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act against Londoners between April 2008 and March…