The Logistics of 1984

[hmmm_tea]

‘Big Brother’ database for phones and e-mails

*Checks date*

Storing details of all emails in the UK? How, exactly, would that work then?

Surely, I could just use an overseas mail server and access it over an encrypted channel?

Comments

[thethirdvoice.livejournal.com]

With added surreality from the pop-up:

"This site is taking part in the UK Internet User Monitor"

:P

[ewx.livejournal.com]

Presumably it'd be illegal not to share the relevant communications data with HMG. But even if they don't get the data for every last email, so what? Many of their targets are pretty naive about interception capabilities.

A much better objection in this case would be that it'd be an unjustifiable intrusion into the privacy of the law-abiding majority.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

I can't decide, is "It's wrong" or "It's wrong, and it wouldn't work" better...? This is a horrible idea. On the one hand, the second objection is more comprehensively damning. OTOH, it invites people to weasel and say "maybe it'd work if we did it like this..."