Spy Review

With all the surveillance claims from government officials all over the world in the news today, it is good to know that the United Kingdom has been deemed a society that is not under surveillance by their government. The Home Affairs Committee asked the government to use a “minimum data, held for the minimum time” when it comes to their citizens personal information.

After investigating the committee declared that the UK is not a surveillance society, but there are a few functions that might be leaning in that direction. Due to losses of data that was being kept on file the Committee has devised a long-term plan to ensure personal information held at the National Identity Register more secure.

The main issue is the security of the databases especially those with information on children that is used to single out potential criminals by the use of computer information. The questions the Committee desire to have answered include, “Where should the balance between protecting the public and preserving individual freedom lie? How should this balance shift according to the seriousness of the crime? What impact will this have on the individual and on our society as a whole?”

The Information Commissioner’s Office may help in this effort to ensure the UK is not turned into a surveillance society by carrying out “Privacy Impact Assessments” and play a much larger role in how the Committee collects data. Along with this the CCTV asked the committee to do more research to learn if this type of data collecting is actually reducing crime.

Of course, there is also different types of surveillance. The government in some regards may be excused for increasing level of some types of sureveillance in part due to the heightened risk of terrorism as vigilance is important to ensure public safety. But there is also surveillance going on that may be considered rather unnecessary. This blog reported sometime ago that local authorities were putting residents under watch for mundane things like whether dog owners were cleaning up by using spy cameras and other means of surveillance. Some might regard this as unneccessary waste of public resources.