ISPs to monitor emails and cops to hack
The UK has signed an EU strategy that encourages police across Europe to remotely access PCs. Under current law British police officers can do a small number of operations. The current Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 allows surveillance to “prevent or detect serious crime.” UK police do not need a warrant to access a person’s computer.
The British Government will begin paying ISPs to monitor their email services and all emails sent and received by their customers. However, the British Home Office insists that email content will not be examined.
The new rule comes into force on 15 March and falls under the Interception Modernisation Programme and permits any public body access upon making a lawful request.
It is estimated that the British Government will give between R375m and R10.5b in total to British ISPs to ensure that the rule can be enforced without affecting the ISPs’ bottom line.
Michael Reed
