Big Brother’ Database For Phones And E-mails

[SteveP]

<official answer>

Because Echelon doesn't exist.

</official answer>

[Slim]

Cronky, if Echelon is already getting all this info, why does the government want ISP's to retain it?

 

Excellent question old fruit. Why do the Government want to gather all this information about us?

 

That's not an answer. If, as you said previously, all this information is already collectable, why collect it again?

[VinnieK]

Cronky, if Echelon is already getting all this info, why does the government want ISP's to retain it?

 

Excellent question old fruit. Why do the Government want to gather all this information about us?

 

That's not an answer. If, as you said previously, all this information is already collectable, why collect it again?

 

Just to play devil's advocate, there are, I imagine, fairly good reasons why a government might want to shift the burden of information collection onto the providers, even if they had the ability to intercept it en route.

 

1. So limited resources can be dedicated to more urgent tasks whilst ISP's can be used to collect more low priority domestic information

 

2. It's easier to prosecute a criminal case with everyday ISP logs, than having to go through all the trouble of security clearances and making sure that evidence from intelligence agencies doesn't compromise or reveal their capabilities.

[Cronky]

Just to play devil's advocate, there are, I imagine, fairly good reasons why a government might want to shift the burden of information collection onto the providers, even if they had the ability to intercept it en route.

 

1. So limited resources can be dedicated to more urgent tasks whilst ISP's can be used to collect more low priority domestic information

 

2. It's easier to prosecute a criminal case with everyday ISP logs, than having to go through all the trouble of security clearances and making sure that evidence from intelligence agencies doesn't compromise or reveal their capabilities.

 

Good answer. It's the same with e-Borders. The Government are getting the airlines and ferries to collect the data and the cost will be passed back to the passenger.