Gov't snoops doggy dog ISPs

Freedom -- ain't that a George Michael song?

About time too. The government confirmed plans to extend surveillance powers to the Internet, in today's Queen's Speech. Under current legislation, government agencies -- the police and the secret services -- are allowed to tap telephones (they have to ask the home secretary very nicely), but they are barred from intercepting communications over the Internet. British ISPs reckon the new law, which will be enacted in the next Parliamentary session ( ie before June next year), could increase their operating costs by up to 15 per cent. We thinks they doth protest too much. Costs will be passed down the line to their consumers, few of whom will notice that they are paying a stealth tax for government-sanctioned snoops. And most of those that do will welcome the opportunity to support the government's anti-crime drive. Terrorists, pornographers and anti-social elements don't stop being thieves, pornographers and anti-social elements when they are using email. And the police can hardly be expected to do their job properly with one arm tied behind their back. Besides, there's not much in the way of privacy rights offline in Britain so who are to expect rights online? ® Related stories Govt Net Snoopers Charter slammed UK extends buggers' charter to Net Cyber snoops come unstuck US net snooping plans debunked