I
understand that the proposals as set out in the Draft Communications Bill would force
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mobile phone network providers in Britain
to install 'black boxes' in order to collect and store information on
everyone's internet and phone activity, and give the police the ability to
self-authorise access to this information.
When this
plan was first floated in April of this year the General Assembly was in
session and such was the concern expressed that the meeting approved the
following emergency Resolution:
“That this General Assembly of
Unitarian and Free Christian Churches deplores the proposed legislation
allowing Government access to all private e-mails, texts, mobile phone and
internet use, and calls upon all United Kingdom Unitarians and Free Christians
to oppose vigorously this gross violation of the rights of privacy and civil
liberty.”
The publication of the Draft Bill
in no way meets our concerns about the infringement of civil liberties inherent
in the proposals.
Unitarians have always been
sceptical of the argument that “those who don’t break the law have nothing to
fear” when used to justify legislation that interferes with the lives of
individuals. This has been a charter for increasing Government interference and
endangers the traditional relationship between the citizen and the state.
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