Government 'Black Boxes' in the UK

Internet "black boxes" will be used to collect every email and web visit in the UK under the Government's plans for a giant "big brother" database, The Independent has learnt.

Home Office officials have told senior figures from the internet and telecommunications industries that the "black box" technology could automatically retain and store raw data from the web before transferring it to a giant central database controlled by the Government.

Plans to create a database holding information about every phone call, email and internet visit made in the UK have provoked a huge public outcry. Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, described it as "step too far" and the Government's own terrorism watchdog said that as a "raw idea" it was "awful"

From : The Independant

Honestly, calling this a "step to far" is minimalistic at best. This is truly beyond words. Although the UK isn't a stranger to governmental institution into their daily lives, unfortunately it seems the domino effect could logically take place. Something us here in the States are now getting used to.

This is an interesting and scary precedent, and the obvious inclination towards crying Orwellian 1984 can be a little tempting. Just the fact that this has his the mainstream enough to get the public outcry is honestly a bit surprising. This is even if only a thought presently something I would imagine as staying behind a closed door.

I'm not a hard core "tin foil hatter" but I do have to wonder if they aren't necessarily on to something. The image of them, in a dark basement scheming about governmental injustice and how to get to the bottom of it all in a six degrees type of way is the usual one. Yet, I have to wonder if maybe they are indeed right after all.